The History of Asbestos – A Chronology

When you read through this chronology of what we know about the history of asbestos, it’s very hard to believe that James Hardie and our government didn’t know. So why didn’t they stop it?

First Century AD: Roman historian Pliny notes that slaves weaving asbestos cloth sicken and die. Describes the use of respirators made from animal bladders.

1898: British Parliamentary Commission confirms first cases of asbestos deaths in factories, recommends better ventilation and other safety measures.

1906: Royal Commission into working conditions in gold mines in Australia reveals widespread lung disease. Ventilation laws introduced.

1918: Prudential Insurance Company in the US produces an actuarial study showing premature death in the asbestos industry. Other companies began increasing premiums and refusing insurance.

1926: First successful claim for compensation by a sick asbestos worker to the Massachusetts Industrial Accidents Board. Over the following three years several hundred further claims filed.

1927: Asbestosis is given it’s name.

1929: Johns Manville Corporation, the world’s largest asbestos miner/manufacturer, served with 11 writs by asbestosis victims. Claims settled out of court with secrecy orders. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in the US finds that half the men working at John Manville and Raybestos asbestos plants for more than three years develop lung disease.

1930: British Home Office Survey finds widespread asbestos disease in UK factories.

1935: Inspector of Factories and Shops in Western Australia reports on the effect of asbestos dust on the lungs of workers in the James Hardie factory in Perth.

1936: Lang Hancock discovers the Wittenoom blue (crocidolite) deposits and later begins pick and shovel mining.

1938: CSR Ltd sends senior executive M.G. King to the US, Canada, South Africa and Europe to study asbestos mining and manufacturing. It is the start of regular contact between CSR and Johns Manville, including further overseas trips in 1947 and 1952. The US adopts a “safe” dust limit of 176 particles per cubic centimetre in the workplace.

German researchers identify six cancer deaths among asbestos textile workers. Later animal studies confirm asbestos dust kills mice.

1939: Western Australian Commissioner of Public Health and Chief Inspector of Factories finds respiratory disorders among James Hardie workers.

1940: Hancock begins mining at Wittenoom. Plant opens in 1943 and CSR takes over in 1948.

1943: Saranac laboratory in New York confirms the link between asbestos and cancer. Johns Manville suppresses the report.

A report on an asbestos mill at Zeehan in Tasmania (owned and operated by a CSR subsidiary) says that asbestos dust is a health hazard and discusses methods of eliminating it.

1944: First warning of asbestos dust at Wittenoom – the WA Assistant State Mining Engineer reports of the dangers of the dust being being generated. Mines Inspector Adams reports of the “dust menace” at Wittenoom and discusses the need to reduce dust levels.

1946: Known asbestos death toll reaches 235 in Britain, 16 in France, 30 in Italy.

Wittenoom mine manager writes to head office about first known asbestos case – a man named Dignam.

Mines Inspector Adams describes dust conditions at Wittenoom as “terrific”.

1948: Dr Eric Saint tells Wittenoom mine management that asbestos is extremely dangerous, and the men exposed would contract chest disease inside six months. He writes to the public health department in Perth that the mine will produce the greatest crop of asbestosis the world has ever seen.

Over the following three years, dust levels at the mine and mill are regularly monitored at six to eight times “safe” levels. Further warnings are given to mine and management. No improvement in conditions is noted.

1950: WA Commissioner for Public Health reports to his Minister that “Asbestos dust, if inhaled, constitutes a very grave risk and is, if anything, worse than silicosis”. Sate Mining Engineer reports insufficient attention to safety regulations and ventilation at Wittenoom.

1951: WA adopted a “safe” dust limit of 176 particles per cc. Wittenoom readings continually off the scale at 1000 particles. Mines and Health department take no action, apart from issuing further warnings.

Commissioner for Public Health writes to the Under Secretary for Mines that “The hazard from asbestos is considerably greater than that from silica …. we have reason to believe that attention to this aspect of mining operations at Wittenoom has been inadequate in the past.

1954: Mines Inspector Ibbotson describes conditions at Wittenoom as a “disgrace”. The following year he threatens to close the mine.

1955: Dr Richard Doll in the UK produces the most comprehensive survey to date linking asbestos dust with lung disease.

1959: WA Health Department official Dr James McNulty discovers six cases of lung damage among Wittenoom workers. He warns the mine manager and writes the first of a series of warnings.

1960: Wagner published a “new” disease, mesothelioma (fatal cancer of the lining of the lungs, discoved among people exposed to asbestos in South Africa.

Annual report of WA Commissioner for Public Health says working at Wittenoom is thirty times more dangerous than other mining.

1961: Britian cuts maximum exposure level of asbestos in the workplace from 176 to five particles per cubic centimentre.

First case of mesothelioma detected among Wittenoom workers. Man dies.

1961 – 1965: More than 100 cases of lung disease among Wittenoom workers and ex-workers – more that for all other mines in Western Australia.

1965: Local council warnted that the tonnes of asbestos tailing being spread around the town of Wittenoom could threaten even tourists.

1966: G. Major of the Commonwealth Health Department is highly critical of dust at the mine and mill. CST closes the mine two weeks later.

1970: Building unions at workplaces across Australia commence industrial action to ban the use of asbestos.

1973: Wittenoom toll reaches 175. 27 men now known to have died.

1974: First public warning of the dangers of blue asbestos. Bulletin magazine cover story, “Is the Killer In Your Home?”.

1977: Cornelius Maas becomes the first mesothelioma victim to sue the CSR subsidiary that ran the mine. He dies before the case gets to court.

1984 – 1986: The manufacturing and use  of blue and brown asbestos was progressively banned during the mid 1980’s, however Chrysotile (white asbestos) remained in use in brake linings and other products.

1988: First victories in court for Wittenoom mesothelioma victims. Judge rules CSR acted with “continuing, conscious and contumelious” disregard for its workers safety.

1989: Wittenoom toll tops 500. National Health and Medical Research Council predicts the final toll to be at least 2,000.

2003: December 31st, the use and importation of all asbestos containing products was banned in Australia.