John J. Magenheimer to J. T. Trainor on the Size Distribution of Novatex Fibers (1974)

A two-page memo of June 17, 1974, from John J. Magenheimer of Raybestos-Manhattan's Advanced Research Laboratory to J. T. Trainor, copied to John Marsh and J. Orzechowski. Magenheimer wrote that "the relationship between the inhalation of fiber and disease is not understood" and that research at Edinburgh could not be expected "to state that Fortex fibers are safe." He thought a proposed new McGill study ill-timed, but wrote that "we have a responsibility to use this capital and the best present technology towards making our products safe both for our workers and our customers," and that "we must notify our customers in the safety garment industry of the McGill results at U.S. Steel and Irco."

What it shows

Magenheimer wanted Dr. Gibbs' report published as soon as possible, with the company "mentioned as a source of support." He noted that Raybestos-Manhattan did not then make an asbestos fabric fit for safety garments, which would leave it in "an embarrassing position when the McGill results are published"; the answer was "to get a filled Novatex on the market ASAP." The memo shows a company scientist pressing for customers to be told of the safety garment results.

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. Magenheimer memo to J.T. Trainor (R-M), 6/17/74, entitled "Size Distribution of Novatex Fibers." Magenheimer states that "at the present time the relationship between the inhalation of fiber and disease is not understood." The work at Edinburgh "will help to increase our understanding of the problem, but we cannot expect it to state that Fortex fibers are safe." It may take five to ten years to come up with some answers. Magenheimer believes that Dr. Gibbs' study of Novatex fiber size distribution will, at best, "give us a feeling concerning the problems with Novatex material." The previous study at McGill has shown that "filled Novatex releases fewer fibers than treated conventional." Magenheimer states that R-M "is faced with a number of diverse asbestos dust problems, all of which demand significant capital expenditures," but Magenheimer states that "we have a responsibility to use this capital and the best present technology towards making our products safe both for our workers and our customers." Magenheimer thinks that the proposed study at McGill is ill-timed, but if Dr. Curtiss at NIOSH wishes to study fiber distributions, Magenheimer thinks it would be to R-M's advantage to cooperate. Magenheimer also believes that R-M must notify its customers in the safety garment industry of the McGill results. Dr. Gibbs' report should be published as soon as possible and Magenheimer prefers to have R-M mentioned as a source of support. At the present time R-M does not make any asbestos fabric which is acceptable for use in safety garments. "This would put R-M in an embarrassing position when the McGill results are published . . . The obvious answer is to get a filled Novatex on the market ASAP."

About this copy

This is document 651 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-002522 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-002523.