W. E. Hodgson to A. Pocius on Removing Caution Labels from Cartons for Canada (1965)

A one-page letter of February 1, 1965, from W. E. Hodgson at J-M's division headquarters in Toronto to A. Pocius at headquarters, answering Pocius's letter of January 29. "We have been assured by Dr. K.W. Smith that it is not necessary to use the caution label in Canada and, therefore, we obviously do not want it on any of our cartons," Hodgson wrote. For Thermobestos from Manville reshipped through the Toronto plant, he had been told "it would be no problem to remove the printed caution label by sanding," and he asked that Waukegan remove the marking "by sanding or some other means" from Superex Pipe Covering shipped into Canada.

What it shows

Hodgson turned down covering the label "because of the possibility of having the protective covering removed on the job," adding that "Dr. Smith is in complete agreement." He also reported assurance from the Fiber Division that mine cements shipped in Canada would not carry the label. The result was that the asbestos caution J-M printed for its U.S. customers was sanded off cartons going to Canadian ones, on the medical director's advice. The thread begins with Hodgson's letter of January 14.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

Letter from W. Hodgson to A. Pocius of 2/1/65, states: "We have been assured by Dr. K.W. Smith that it is not necessary to use the caution label in Canada, and therefore, we obviously do not want it on any of our cartons."

The removal of the caution label by sanding or covering over the label was discussed. Hodgson informs Pocius of his reluctance to cover over the label due to the possibility of having the cover removed on the job. The Fiber Division assured Hodgson that cements shipped to Canada would not carry the label. Hodgson further requests labels on Superex Pipe Covering be removed by sanding or by some other means.

Related documents

• W. E. Hodgson to S. Lane and C. H. Jensen to E. C. Lindstrom on Leaving Caution Labels Off Shipments to Canada (1965)
• A. Pocius to W. E. Hodgson and E. C. Lindstrom to C. H. Jensen on Caution Labels for Canada (1965)