Obituary: James Dodgson, former Head of Environment Branch at the IOM
James Dodgson
Jim Dodgson, who died in October 2008, contributed hugely to the work of the Institute of Occupational Medicine.
He joined the National Coal Board's Pneumoconiosis Field Research (PFR) in the 1950s and was part of IOM from 1969 when it was founded until he retired in 1988. He was a senior member of the IOM’s management team for many years and he had an important impact in protecting the health of miners and others at work.
Jim was a distinguished scientist who made substantial improvements in coal mine dust and to fibre measurement techniques. The scope and scale of our occupational hygiene work is Jim’s major legacy to IOM. He was instrumental in starting occupational hygiene and asbestos consultancies, he broadened the base of our occupational hygiene research and he built a world class specialist chemical laboratory dealing with a broad range of samples from workplaces. These activities now constitute the core of IOM’s business.
His contribution to occupational hygiene was recognised externally, culminating in his election as President of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). Jim was successful in his field but he was without airs and graces. He was a good man to work for. He developed many young scientists by helping, coaching and encouraging. He was full of ideas and enthusiasm which rubbed off on those around him.
The IOM is now about to enter its 40th year and this is due in large part to the efforts of Jim and his colleagues who helped establish the organisation.
___________________________________________Obituary prepared by Dr Alastair Robertson
A list of Jim Dodgson's scientific publications is available on our website.
The photograph of Jim Dodgson, which is taken from the Annals of Occupational Hygiene Vol 24 p329, is reproduced with the kind permission of Oxford University Press.