Document v6Vzgrxgvk4g3x2O2oEE7ZDDZ

FILE NAME: Raybestos-Manhattan (RBM) DATE: 1943 June DOC#: RBM079 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letters RE Asbestosis between the Northwest Magnesia Association, Johns-Manville & The Asbestos Publication V*! 'J 'J jPublished bif Mr. S. Simpson, President, Haybestos-Manhattan, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn. Dear Mr. Simpson: The attached copy of letter written by the Northv/est Magnesia Association to the Department of Labor & Industries of the State of Washington, has been sent us apparently by the Secretary of the Association, Elliott DeForest, without any comment whatever, and in the envelope of the Asbestos Supply Company, First Ave. at Jackson, Seattle, Washington. Mr. DeForest is connected with the Asbestos Supply Company. There does not seem to be anything we can do about it under the circumstances, and we are passing it along to you thinking it might interest you generally, and perhaps you might like to contact Mr. DeForest on the subject. If you would prefer that the matter be handled thru us, we would be glad to write Mr. DeForest at your direction; otherwise you need not returnthe letter. Very truly yours, RM '7 t " ' h .. 4 / , Seattle, Yfeshington June 14, 1943 Mr. John E. Morgan, Supervisor of Safety * Department of ^abor & Industries State of Washington Olympia, Washington Dear Mr. MorganJ RE: Proposed General Safety Standards Standard 49. Article A-5, ASBESTOSIS Our Association has given due consideration to the above mentioned subject and submit to you the following recommendations. ' $ Inasmuch as any dust v/hich night occur in any of our operations during the application of material in which asbestos might be used is not of any dif ferent character from the ordinaiy dust that is d eveloped in thousands of occupations, we feel that it is adequately classifiediunder Standard 45 in the general classification of "Hazards and Protective Devices." The relative quantity of asbestos in the materials that use the name "asbestos" is quite small. As a matter of fact, magnesia is 85? of most of the pipe covering which is generally referred to as asbestos amongest those uninformed. f In our entire practice of handling asbestos in the State of Yiashington, and our Association members have been in this business over 40 years, we have no knovdedge of anyone who is even acquainted vdth the coined word "Asbestosis" much less ever having contracted the disease.- Yie feel that I if such a so-called disease were advertised to the general public, and our I workmen claims unduly- in for bur d particular, that it would give all sorts of allied ailments a ened by such parasites. the nd o m u an excuse r particul upon ar in v/hich dustry to place would be / Our Committee, consisting of Mr. V.-S. Jenkins andMr. T. F. Bellamy, who were interviewed by John E. Morgan and Herman Luft at the Smith Tower offices of the Department of Labor & Industries, report that the recorded singular - / case of Asbestosis as noted in the medical journals occurred in England some - 40 or 50 years ago under must unsanitary and inhuman working conditions. Since this foreign disease has not cone to our attention, we feel it should i be left in Europe where it belongs and not brought to our local communities | and create hysteria and fear amongest the families of our contented- workmen \ who are now enjoying good health and living to a ripe old age, which is significant of the Pipe Coverers Union as compared with the other trades. These statistics of your Department confirm the soundness of this argument by the low rate v/hich we have, and we wish to continue enjoying this low rate by not allov/ing our standards to be adulterated. Therefore, v/e heartily recommend that this entire Paragraph A-5 be deleted from your code, and pledge our cooperation to your Safety Standards, which as we interpret them, is using good common sense on all occasions. * On all our operations where the slightest amount of dust might arise from any I sawing, your representative will concur that we have proper ventilation and j respiratory devices. However, when it comes to instilling our material in | cramped quarters of v/ar vessels, we have proven that it is of more value to j consider safety in regard to giving z a man proper vision and not allowing ^ him to be encumbered with respirators, air hosers, hoods, etc. * n m. - C*>**> i . "**&**!&?` , Looking to you for favorable action in this matter, we remain Very truly yours - --- - * ` ....... NORTHWEST AGNESIA ASSOCIATION - -- - Elliott DeForest Secretary E xE otm vE Offices -Jo h n s - M a n v i l l e C o r p o r a t i o n TW ENTY-TW O EAST FOHTIETH STHEET . N W Y O H K . N .Y. June 24, 1943 Sumner Simpson, Esq. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc. Bridgeport, Connecticut Dear Mr. Simpson: Yours of June 22 has been received, together vfith the enclosures mentioned therein. \ I am inclined to let Mr. DeForest learn the facts of life and asbestosis from the State of Washington Department of Labor and Industries, and shall merely file his letter unless y ou feel strongly there is some thing I should do about it and so advise. Dr. Boyd also wrote Johns-Manville and I re ferred him to Dr. L a n z a 's book, thereby indirectly answering him the same way as you did. Y/ith kindest personal regards, I am Sincerely yours, Vandiver Brown Secretary VB:S CC A. S. Rossiter Editor Asbestos Magazine 16th Floor, Inquirer Bldg. Philadelphia, Pa. !{ /i "76-V}