John H. Marsh to M. Q. Scowcroft on Why Raybestos-Manhattan Cannot Call Its Products Safe (1977)

A one-page Raybestos-Manhattan memo of February 16, 1977, from John H. Marsh, the company's director of environmental affairs, to M. Q. Scowcroft, on whether the company could say its products "can be used safely if properly handled." Marsh wrote: "we cannot use the word safe simply because we do not know what a safe level of exposure is." Science had not established a level "below which disease will not occur." He suggested instead telling customers that field tests showed its dust-suppressed textiles could be handled within OSHA limits with proper work practices.

What it shows

Marsh admitted such a statement "would probably be rather awkward and perhaps not very effective as a sales tool, but I don't see that we have much choice in the matter." He enclosed the company's brake-servicing instructions, noting "the word safe is avoided." Copies went to Dr. Hilton Lewinsohn and others. Two weeks later Marsh struck the same word from a draft letter to textile customers (Marsh to J. E. Day, Jr., March 1977).

In Johns-Manville's index

Johns-Manville's legal department indexed the Motley 1,000 in 1984. Its index describes this document as follows:

J.H. Marsh memo to M.Q. Scowcroft, 2/16/77. Marsh states that on several occasions a question has come up as to whether or not R-M can or should make statements to the effect that its products can be used safely if properly handled. Marsh objects to the word "safe" because it is not known what the safe level of exposure is. "Science has not yet been able to establish a level of exposure below which disease will not occur." Although Marsh objects to the use of the word "safe," he suggests that R-M develop some kind of language to indicate to customers that on the basis of field tests R-M has conducted, R-M dust suppressed textiles can be handled without exposing the worker to airborne concentrations in excess of OSHA standards providing proper work practices are observed.

About this copy

This is document 868 of the Motley 1,000, from the set the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust's records facility certified as true copies, pages CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-004575 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-004575.