Martin Ditkof – Page 3 – The Asbestos Blog

State of the Field for Environmental History: A Spot for Researching Minerals in the Workplace such as Asbestos, Silica, Talc, and Lead.

December 14, 2023

My paper on the State of the Field for Environmental History is completed. It is about 14 pages with 62 footnotes and was submitted in the United States History in the World class. For those who like to read scholarly research, you can find a copy of the paper at https://theasbestosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/State-of-the-Field-Essay-Env-History-1282023.pdf. My goal is to…
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What Did Industry Know about the Dangers of Asbestos: October 1934, 89 Years Ago.

December 6, 2023

When I used to represent clients in asbestos lawsuits (as many of you know that means having represented defendants sued in those cases), I often wondered about the historical knowledge of the leading companies back in those olden days. I don’t mean smaller companies or those without any known exposures at the time, but companies…
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Getting Up to Speed on Asbestos History: 216 Pages for Beginners Help.

November 30, 2023

The document which I have attached at https://theasbestosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/What-Every-New-Lawyer-Needs-to-Know.pdf may be somewhat dated at this point in time, but it is still one of the best available documents on the Internet in order to help young attorneys (and others) get up to speed on asbestos related issues. It was drafted by Attorney James H. Crosby as…
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Pure Asbestos History: One Source for those who are Curious.

November 15, 2023

I have previously posted about Asbestos Fundamentals, a German origin book published by Hans Berger and then translated to English by Ralph Oesper, then of the University of Cincinnati, in 1963. At 171 pages, it is an amazing resource. Today, we are going to discuss Chapter 3 entitled “Historical Development,” The discussion begins with Callimachus…
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Naturally Occurring Asbestos Fibers in Your Breathing Zone: Let’s Look at California as an Example.

November 8, 2023

We write and talk a great deal about asbestos fibers arising from occupational exposure, but what about those same fibers in your breathing zone just because of where you live? I don’t mean the real hot spots like Libby, Montana or Wittenoom, Australia; we all know the horrors faced by residents in those communities when…
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Asbestos Exposure in the Military: Even Today

November 1, 2023

I received a message from Ed Hill several days ago, about a story involving recent exposure to asbestos while in the military. Because Ed said that the U.S. soldiers were also in the buildings and experienced the same exposure, I thought that my blog this week should be just providing the link to his story…
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For Those Into Demolition and Renovation: A Book from the 1930s which Identifies the then New Components.

October 25, 2023

My Blog is somewhat brief today as I am up to my eyeballs with reading and writing for the Masters in History class at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. In 1931, Johns-Manville published a book (or a collection of brochures) discussing the products it was selling. You can pick up an electronic copy…
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Yes, “Stained and Polished Wood” Flooring and Carpeting was Made from Asbestos.

October 17, 2023

If you Google “asbestos carpeting,” the various search responses typically discuss the carpet underlayment or include statements such as the poster having not heard of asbestos carpeting. Google “stained and polished asbestos wood flooring” typically brings you to asbestos tiles or similar products. Good thing that we still have encyclopedias around, especially The Encyclopedia Americana…
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140 Asbestos-Related Blog Postings Since December 2020: A Listing of Topic with Hot Links for those who are Interested.

October 11, 2023

I posted my first Asbestos-Related blog just prior to entering the Masters of History program here at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in January 2021. I am about to reach 20,000 views in just under three years and am honored with your interest. For those who were not with me at the start…
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EPA Model Training Manual from the 1990s: I Didn’t Know That.

October 4, 2023

As my weekly blogs focus on history, don’t take all of the documents which I cite or use as being current. Rather, please see them as the historical learning experience that they are meant to be. Today, we take a look at the EPA suggested training during the 1990s as embodied in its EPA Model…
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Author: Martin Ditkof