J. S. Parkinson to Dr. Kenneth W. Smith on No Caution Labels for J-Spray Bags (1960)

A one-page memo of November 3, 1960, from J. S. Parkinson at J-M's Research Center to Dr. Kenneth W. Smith, J-M's medical director, headed "Cautionary Labels for J-Spray Bags." Parkinson confirms that J. P. Syme "has ruled as a matter of Company policy that we not place any cautionary labels on the bags which contain our J-Spray fiber mixture," and that the caution about dust would go instead in "the literature which accompanies this product." The decision, he writes, rested on the view that the hazard of handling J-Spray was "no greater than that involved in handling #302 cement or other asbestos fibers and fiber mixtures which we manufacture and sell."

What it shows

A month earlier J-M staff had asked Dr. Smith for data to write a warning for the J-Spray bags (Koch's teletype of October 10). The answer that came back was a company policy against any label. The reason given is telling: J-Spray needed no label because it was no more dangerous than J-M's other asbestos products, none of which carried one either. J-M had reached the same result for Marinite board two years before (the 1958 Marinite label memos). See Spray-Applied Fireproofing.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

J.S. Parkinson (J-M Research Center) memorandum to Dr. K.W. Smith, 11/3/60, regarding caution labels for J-Spray Bags. Parkinson states that J.P. Syme has ruled that J-M will not place caution labels on bags containing J-M's J-Spray fiber mixture, because the hazard of handling J-Spray is believed to be no greater than that in handling 302 cement or other J-M asbestos fibers and fiber mixtures. However, literature discussing the necessary dust control precautions will accompany the J-Spray product.

Related documents

• E. C. Koch Teletype to Dr. Kenneth W. Smith on a Warning for J-Spray Bags (1960)