I. C. Campbell of Asbestos Corporation Limited to Quebec Asbestos Mining Association Members on Caution Wording for Fiber Bags (1968)

A one-page letter of June 5, 1968, from I. C. Campbell, vice-president and secretary-treasurer of Asbestos Corporation Limited, to the representatives of eight Quebec asbestos producers, among them K. V. Lindell of Canadian Johns-Manville. As agreed at the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association's meeting in Montreal "last Friday," Campbell circulates the wording his company's counsel proposed for any label on bags of chrysotile fiber: "CAUTION. This bag contains chrysotile asbestos fibre. Persons exposed to asbestos dust should use adequate personal protective devices as inhalation of asbestos dust over long periods may be harmful." He adds: "You will also recall that it was our suggestion that in the opinion of our Counsel, legal liability might be equally avoided by having such cautionary wording appear on the invoice or other sales document."

What it shows

This copy, marked "Source: Jeffrey Mine," was probably Lindell's at Canadian J-M. A reader edited the wording by hand, changing "asbestos dust" to "the material" and striking "personal," and wrote "I am in favour of this wording." The letter follows the producers' March 1968 discussion of caution labels (minutes) and the May 31 meeting reported in R. S. Coleman's memo of June 3. The producers' counsel framed the label as a way to avoid legal liability, and suggested a warning printed on invoices, which the workers handling the bags would not see, would do as well. Canadian J-M began labeling its fiber bags that autumn (correspondence, 1968-1969).