Document zz6nwv9g4kZ8mQ3zMjOeK91E3

FILE NAME Colonial Sugar Refinery CSR DATE 1961 Sept 20 DOC CSR044 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Letter to Dr. Rennie from Dr. Letham RE Asbestosis - Wittenoom Caused 94 DUL Dr. H. Maynard Rennie Macquarie Chambers 183 Macquarie Street . N.S.W. Dear Dr. Rennie 20th September 1961 Asbe=~sWit tteo noos n Ci auss ed As you know I have discus wis theDd r. Bruce Hunt the incidence of pneumoconiosis in workers and ex- been workers from the Australian Blue Asbestos Works - Wittenoom I have able to locate in Perth records- of 12 cases of asbestosis plus three probable four cases of silicosis or silico tuberculosis six cases of probable silicosis and one in which asbestosis and silicosis both appear to be prominent Some of the cases of asbestosis also show evidence of silicosis given you The total which I have is 26 cases that Dr. McNulty has several not on my list I believe When it is known that the labour turnover at Wittenoom has been high this is indeed a large number of cases It is noteworthy that some of these have been diagnosed several years after leaving Wittenoom and it is not improbable that more will present in the future There is no doubt that early conditions at Wittenoom were appalling I have had several eye witnesses descriptions of the dust around the mill being so thick as to occlude vision for more than a few yards When I visited Wittenoom in July 1958 exhaust ventilation had been established in the old mill the new mill had been built but was not operating Certainly considerable attention had been given to exhaust ventil- ation in the new mill At this time July 1958 the old Cont'd ...... PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT 103415.0 4a . .2 mine had been closed down and the new mine was oper- To me the important question appears not to be how much however belatedly has been spent on ventilation but as to whether or not the ventil- ation is efficient enough to Reep dust down to levels which appear to be safe waking due allowance for the limitations on our knowledge of safe levels This requires an awareness and desire on the part of manage- ment of the need for protecting their employees from asbestosis It is essential that the management do not they have spent rest content with the fact that so many thousands of pounds on ventilation but that they should not rest content until they satisfie thd at their employees are adequately protected I am suggest- ing that the Company itself should take an active interest in measuridnusgt levels If they are found to be con- sistently high then stepa must be taken to lower the dust levels to those regarded as safe Surely this is the least that can be asked of a company with such- a poor record of interest in the health of their em ployees It would be much appreciated if you would bring my point of view to the attention of the manage- ment Yours sincerely PHYSICIAN OCCUPATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL SECTION