McGill University Research Contract with Raybestos-Manhattan and Graham Gibbs' Report on Fiber Release from Asbestos Fabrics (1975)

A 13-page item. First is a signed research protocol under which McGill University's Office of Industrial Research agreed to have Dr. Graham Gibbs measure fibers released from Raybestos-Manhattan's Tribestos and Novatex mittens in laboratory tests and sample airborne fibers in the company's Novatex plant, for $8,385 and $9,630. Its conditions let the university publish "after twelve months from submission of the final report" and provided that "The name of Raybestos-Manhattan will not be used in connection with any publication without written consent." Second is Gibbs' report of July 7, 1975, "Laboratory Tests of Fibre Release from Asbestos Fabrics," on 14 fabrics worked by a clapping and rubbing machine.

What it shows

The report found that fabrics treated with acrylic released markedly fewer fibers, and that holes formed in all but one of the Novatex materials tested, which "suggests that the Novatex fabric may have a wear problem." Together with Gibbs' letter of January 1974, the protocol shows the terms of the company-funded research: a year's wait before publication and the company's consent before it could be named.

In Johns-Manville's index

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

Signed contract between R-M and McGill University for a study by Dr. G.W. Gibbs on "The Dimensions of (a) Airborne Asbestos Fibers Released From Tribestos and Novatex Mittens in a Laboratory Simulation Experiment (b) Airborne Asbestos Fibers in the work Environment in the Novatex Manufacturing Plant of R-M," undated. Attached to this contract is a document entitled "Laboratory Tests of Fiber Released from Asbestos Fabrics: Report to R-M," by Dr. G.W. Gibbs, dated 7/7/75.

Related documents

• G. W. Gibbs to John H. Marsh Enclosing "Fibre Release from Asbestos Garments" (1975)

About this copy

This is document 650 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-002247 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-002259.