Document 06JXmB3era1JjQGOMwGqv87zk

o ''-N / 1 DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA 2 THIRD DIVISION 3 4 5 Karl R. Busse, 6 Plaintiff, 7 vs. 8 Johns-Manville Products Corp., et al, 9 Defendants. 10 Civ. No. 3-77-347 DEFENDANT RUBEROID COMPANY A/K/A GAF CORPORATION'S ANSWERS TO PLAINTIFF'S INTERROGATORIES 11 12 Defendant Ruberoid Company, a/k/a GAF Corporation, for its 13 answers to Plaintiffs Interrogatories, states as follows: 14 INTERROGATORY NO. 1: 15 Give the generic names and trade names of all types of insulating materials manufactured by you, giving 16 the dates that you began to manufacture such materials, start ing in 1936, a description of the materials and what they 17 contain. 18 ANSWER: 19 "Calsi1ite" - A high temperature pipe covering 20 and built-up block containing approximately 10% 21 amosite and 2% chrysotile asbestos fiber and the 22 remainder consisting of hydrous lime silicate 23 and diatamaceous earth. Calsilite was manufactured 24 at Gloucester, New Jersey from the early 1940's 25 until mid-1970 at which time GAF commenced the 26 production of asbestos-free Calsilite ("Calsilite 27 II") . 28 "115" and "214" Insulation Cements - Known generically 29 as 7M and 7K type cements, respectively, these 30 insulating cements were composed entirely of chrysotile 31 asbestos fiber. These cements were manufactured 32 at Hyde Park, Vermont from 1936 through September, R.iP. . 1975. 4AL 71.5101 (Zy\ 1 "T/NA-100" Insulation Jacketing - A two-ply, laminated 2 product consisting of a layer of asbestos paper 3 in which chrysotile asbestos fibers were bonded 4 with Neoprene and a layer of polyvinyl floride 5 (Tedlar) plastic film attached by adhesive on 6 one side. T/NA-100 was manufactured at South 7 Bound Brook, New Jersey from 1962 to September, 8 1971. 9 Asbestos Paper and Millboard - Chrysotile insulating 10 paper, used as a jacketing or pipe wrap; manufactured 11 at Erie, Pennsylvania from approximately 1928. 12 Millboard was used primarily as an industrial 13 fire barrier. Its present uses are limited primarily 14 to the manufacturing of gaskets and insulating 15 components used in consumer products. 16 INTERROGATORY NO. 2: 17 Did you ever at any time give warnings to workers of the dangerous nature of your products'? If so, describe 18 your warnings, give the dates such warnings were issued and to whom such warnings were given and how they were published 19 or made known. 20 ANSWER: 21 In late 1965 or early 1966, Ruberoid began placing 22 the following warning on packages of its industrial thermal 23 insulation products containing asbestos fiber: 24 CAUTION 25 THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBER. INHALATION OF ASBESTOS IN EXCESSIVE QUANTITIES OVER LONG PERIODS OF 26 TIME MAY BE HARMFUL. 27 IF DUST IS CREATED WHEN THIS PRODUCT IS HANDLED, AVOID BREATHING THE DUST. IF ADEQUATE VENTILATION CONTROL 28 IS NOT POSSIBLE, WEAR RESPIRATORS APPROVED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF MINES FOR PNEUMOCONIOSIS PRODUCING DUST. 29 30 XXX 31 XXX 32 EROR. , N4U G '.>3101 .'ll XXX MiMWU 1 In 1970, this warning label was changed to read as follows: 2 CAUTION 3 CONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBER. INHALATION IN EXCESSIVE QUANTITIES OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME MAY BE HARMFUL. AVOID 4 BREATHING DUST. IF ADEQUATE VENTILATION IS NOT POSSIBLE, WEAR RESPIRATORS APPROVED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF MINES FOR 5 PNEUMOCONIOSIS PRODUCING DUST. 6 In approximately 1972, this warning was further changed to 7 read as follows: 8 CAUTION 9 CONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBER. INHALATION IN EXCESSIVE 10 QUANTITIES OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME MAY BE HARMFUL. AVOID BREATHING DUST. 11 INTERROGATORY NO. 3: 12 What studies have you made to determine the effect of your product on the lungs and physical condition of persons 13 employed as insulators and asbestos workers who use your products? 14 ANSWER: 15 16 GAF has no facilities or equipment designed for 17 medical or technical research and therefore conducted no studies of the nature specified. 18 INTERROGATORY NO. 4: 19 20 Who made such studies, when were they made, and attach copies of the reports of such studies. 21 ANSWER: 22 See Answer to Interrogatory No. 3. 23 INTERROGATORY NO. 5: 24 Did you package and sell products containing asbestos from the years 1951 to 1971? If so, how were the products 25 sold, how were the products packaged, and were these products 26 universally used throughout the United States? 27 ANSWER: 28 Most Ruberoid and GAF industrial thermal insulation 29 products were sold in corrugated cardboard boxes bearing the companies' respective names or "logos." The insulating 30 31 cement was sold in heavy-duty bags. GAF does not know whether 32 its products were "universally used throughout the United D;r, '.AL L1u1 '71 1 States." GAF objects to the remainder of Interrogatory No. 2 5 on the ground that the question "how were these products 3 sold" is ambiguous. 4 INTERROGATORY NO. 6: 5 If these products were used primarily in any specific location or area, state where such products were primarily 6 used. 7 ANSWER: 8 See Answer to Interrogatory No. 5. 9 INTERROGATORY NO. 7: 10 Do you recognize that prolonged use of the insulat ing materials manufactured by you can cause or contribute 1 1 to cause various occupational diseases-, including asbestosis, silicosis, emphysema and dermatitis? 12 ANSWER: 13 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 14 that it is argumentative and calls for an expert medical 15 opinion. 16 1INTE11 RROG111A1 TORY----N- O. "8 : f- 17 i Has your company done any studies or has your 18 company ordered any studies by others concerning the effects of inhalation of asbestos dust or fibers by one using or 19 being exposed to any of the asbestos materials manufactured by your company? In answer to this question, please give 20 the date and nature of such studies, if any, the name or names of the persons conducting the studies and their address, 21 what the purpose of the studies were, and attach a copy of any report based upon such studies, showing to whom such 22 report was given and when. 23 ANSWER: 24 GAF has no facilities or equipment designed for 25 medical or technical research and therefore conducted no 26 studies of the nature specified.', 27 INTERROGATORY NO. 9: 28 Have you or any of your employees conducted studies designed to prevent, minimize or'.-eliminate the inhalation 29 of asbestos dust and fibers by those exposed to the use of your company's products? If so, give the name or names of 30 such persons conducting such studies, attach copies of such studies, by whom they were made, and to whom they were given, 31 and when, and state what action, if any, was taken based upon such studies in an effort to prevent, minimize or eliminate 32 the effects of inhalation of asbestos dust or fibers upon 7:or. , NC,SA10L1 >71 1 those using or being exposed to the dust and fibers contained in such products as manufactured by your company. 2 ANSWER; 3 See Answer to Interrogatory No. 8. 4 INTERROGATORY NO. 10; 5 Do you or your company have any inspection of 6 areas where workers are using products manufactured by your company containing asbestos as to the dust count? If you 7 do not, then please explain why this is not done, and if you do, please explain what action, if any, is taken by your 8 company following the taking of dust counts at any of the locations referred to above. Also please give the dates 9 and places, if any, that your company first started making such dust count, and set forth in detail the dates and places 10 this has been done since. 1 1 ANSWER; 12 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 13 that it is irrelevant. 14 INTERROGATORY NO. 11; 15 Does your company recognize that as early as the year 1900 Dr. H. Montague Murray, a physician in London's 16 Charing Cross Hospital, found spicules of asbestos in the lung tissue? If you agree with this, then state what action, 17 if any, your company has taken since 1900 to prevent, reduce or eliminate the dangers to those using your asbestos products 18 from inhaling the dust and fibers. 19 ANSWER; 20 GAF recognizes the name of Dr. Murray but has 21 no first hand familiarity with or knowledge of his works. 22 INTERROGATORY NO. 12; 23 Does your company recognize that in 1924, Dr. W. E. Cook, also of England, found clear evidence of asbestosis 24 and that such discovery was published in the British Medical Journal of July 26, 1924, and re-published in 1927? If you 25 do, then please state what action, if any, was taken by your company based upon these studies to prevent, reduce or eliminate 26 asbestosis in those using your products. If your answer is that you do not recognize the truth of such statement, 27 then please state what your company has done in an effort to keep abreast of medical literature concerning the disease 28 produced from the products which you manufacture, if in truth you have. 29 30 XXX 31 XXX 32 XXX . R. D '.Al 'lOt * ` . jo nr_-. *** r r^ 1 ANSWER: 2 GAF recognizes the name of Dr. Cook but has no 3 first hand familiarity with or knowledge of his works. 4 INTERROGATORY NO. 13: 5 Does your company recognize that in 1931, the English Parliament passed legislation making asbestosis a 6 compensable disease and requesting improved methods of exhaust ventilation and dust suppression in asbestos-textile factories, 7 and also institutes periodical medical examinations for workers engaged in particularly dusty processes in the asbestos-textile 8 industry? If you do recognize the truth of the statement above, please state what action, if any, your company took 9 in response to such knowledge in an effort to prevent, reduce or eliminate the effects of asbestos in those using your 10 products. If you do not recognize the truth of such statement, then please state why your company did not keep in touch 1 1 with legislation and programs adopted endeavoring to reduce or eliminate the disease of asbestosis in those using asbestos 12 products. 13 ANSWER: 14 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the grounds 15 that it calls for an expert legal opinion regarding English 16 law. 17 INTERROGATORY NO. 14: 18 Do you agree that once asbestos fibers or dust are inhaled into the lungs, there is no way to eliminate 19 such dust or fibers from the lungs for the balance of such person's life? 20 ANSWER: 21 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 22 that it is argumentative and calls for an expert medical 23 opinion. 24 INTERROGATORY NO. 15: 25 What technique, if any, does your company use 26 to make dust samplings, explaining the technique and when it was commenced and what the purpose was and what action 27 has been taken in response to the findings as to the dust samples. 28 ANSWER: 29 None. 30 31 XXX 32 <. .H. 3 4L 5 101 '\ XXX iam xat ,r,'aimw i- 1 INTERROGATORY NO. 16: 2 Does your company recognize that asbestos causes induced lung cancer? If your answer is "Yes", when did you 3 come to such realization and what action did you take in response thereto? If your answer is "No" then please explain 4 why no studies were made by your company to ascertain that this fact was indeed true and thereafter to take action to 5 advise those exposed to your products of their dangerous nature. 6 ANSWER; 7 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 8 that it is argumentative and calls for an expert medical 9 opinion. 10 INTERROGATORY NO. 17; 11 Does your company recognize there is a direct 12 connection between the inhalation of asbestos' dust and fibers and the disease mesothelioma? If your answer is "Yes" to 13 this question, then please advise what notices were given to those exposed to your asbestos products of this fact, 14 the dates of such notices and the methods of dissemination or publication of same. 15 ANSWER; 16 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 17 that it is argumentative and calls for an expert medical 18 opinion. 19 INTERROGATORY NO. 18; 20 Does your company place any warning signs on its 21 asbestos products? If so, please state exactly what the warning is, where it is used and when its use was first begun. 22 If your answer to this question is "Yes" then please explain why your company uses such warning notices. 23 ANSWER; 24 See Answer to Interrogatory No. 2. These warnings 25 were used/are used to warn users of GAF products of the potential 26 health hazards from the inhalation of ambient asbestos fiber. 27 INTERROGATORY NO. 19; 28 Do you agree that asbestos has been directly associated 29 medically with the disease of cor pulmonale? 30 XXX 31 XXX 32 XXX ?. D '. ~ L A 101 \ .S'" v- *j^.T..Yaaag~ ____ ____ .-.-a 1 ANSWER: 2 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 3 that it seeks an expert medical opinion. 4 INTERROGATORY NO. 20: 5 Does your company recognize that the physical characteristics of and chemical properties of asbestos fibers 6 persist unimpaired beyond the longevity of humans? In other words, unlike some dangerous products, it does not eventually 7 dissipate or reduce itself in danger to those who might be exposed to it? 8 ANSWER: 9 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 10 that it seeks an expert medical opinion. 11 INTERROGATORY NO. 21: 12 Does your company recognize that year-by-year, 13 more asbestos is used in the United States, and therefore the public is thereby exposed to a greater and greater extent 14 to the inhalation of asbestos dust and fiber? If your answer is "Yes" then please state what action your company has taken 15 to prevent, reduce or eliminate this danger and what action, if any, you have taken to notify the public at large of this 16 danger. 17 ANSWER: 18 See Answer to Interrogatory No. 2. 19 INTERROGATORY NO. 22: 20 Has your company consulted with Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, of New York, concerning asbestosis, and if so, 21 please state when and under what circumstances and what informa tion, if any, was furnished by your company to him, giving 22 dates of such information. 23 ANSWER: 24 Certain GAF employees have heard Dr. Selikoff . 25 speak about certain potential health problems relating to 26 the installation of industrial thermal insulation. 27 INTERROGATORY NO. 23: 28 Does your company contribute any funds to research concerning asbestos and its relation to lung, heart and larynx 29 disease? If so, please state the amount of money contributed, when and to whom, attaching any report or reports from such 30 individual or organization to whom your funds were contributed. 31 ANSWER: 32 GAF has made no direct contributions. R. :r. o AL ['.,101 . >! .. - sr /"A 1 INTERROGATORY NO. 24: 2 Do you have any labor inspectors or anyone from your company whose job it is to go to areas where your products 3 are being used to make a dust level count, and if so, please state when your company started such procedure, the purpose 4 of it, and what action, if any, was taken in response to your findings. 5 ANSWER: 6 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 7 that it is irrelevant. GAF no longer makes asbestos products. 8 INTERROGATORY NO. 25: 9 Is your company familiar with the hearing conducted 10 in March, 1967, before the House of Representatives of the United States Congress Sub-Committee on Labor? 11 ANSWER: 12 GAF has no first hand knowledge of the hearing 13 referenced in this Interrogatory. 14 INTERROGATORY NO, 26: 15 Do you agree that the problem of asbestos dust 16 extends further than to those men handling your products but that the exposure is shared with other construction workers 17 using same as well? 18 ANSWER: 19 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 20 that it is ambiguous. 21 INTERROGATORY NO. 27: 22 If your answer to the preceding Interrogatory No. 26 is "No", then please state whether or not you have 23 familiarized yourself with the testimony of Dr. William. H. Stew Surgeon-General of the United States before the Committee 24 mentioned above that probably three and one-half million construction workers are being exposed to asbestos dust in 25 addition to those workers actually handling the materials containing asbestos? 26 ANSWER: 27 Not applicable. 28 INTERROGATORY NO. 28: 29 Do you recognize or agree that the problems of 30 air laden with asbestos dust is so great that possibly millions of people in the United States are being exposed to the inhala 31 tion of asbestos dust who have nothing to do with its use or application? If your answer is "Yes", then please advise 32 what action your company has taken, if any, to advise the . R. L M 01 )1 trs general public of the dangerous nature of asbestos and what steps have been taken to endeavor to protect the general public from the dangerous effects of the inhalation of the asbestos dust and fibers, when such action was taken, and what it consists of. ANSWER: * GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground j that it is argumentative. INTERROGATORY NO. 29: Is it possible with all of your products containing asbestos to distinguish your products from those manufactured ; by a competitor? If your answer is "Yes" please describe how you contend your products in all instances can be dis .0 tinguished from that of a competitor, ie, merely by names or package or by appearance of the products themselves. i 1 If there are products which cannot be, in your opinion, dis tinguished from products of a similar kind manufactured by 12 a competitor, please state the name of such product, who manufactures it,, as well as the trade name of the product 13 manufactured by your competitor. 14 ANSWER: 15 It is sometimes possible to distinguish GAF products 16 from others by packaging, color, or texture. However, GAF 17 does not have access to other's products by which to make IS a comparison. 19 INTERROGATORY NO. 30: 20 |j i| 2i; I 22 | i 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 It is true, is it not, that most of the products manufactured by your company containing asbestos will in most instances have to be cut, sawed, scribed, shaped or mixed by the ultimate user and his employees? ANSWER: GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the grounds that it is agrumentative and ambiguous as to the word "most" and irrelevant as to "non-thermal insulation products". INTERROGATORY NO. 31: ............... .............................. ... ' 4 Please give the state of incorporation of your company, the date it was organized, and the domicile of your company at this time and all states and countries where your product is used. 1 30 31 32 I V l t' ,t ff. r<>. n.N, Ij'\yP'.A'.Il' Pl 1* '<. D 1 < i", T 1. /. \ I',:. AL ANSWER: GAF is a Delaware Corporation which was organized in 1929. - Its principal place of business is in New York y/v i ,t ;! I j 7"> 1 City. GAF objects to the rest of Interrogatory No. 31 on 2 the grounds that it is ambiguous as to the word product and 3 irrelevant as to any state or country in which plaintiff 4 did not work. 5 INTERROGATORY NO. 32: 6 How many years has your company been engaged in the manufacture of products containing asbestos and which 7 are commonly used by insulators and asbestos workers? 8 ANSWER; 9 Approximately 40 years. 10 INTERROGATORY NO. 33: 1 1 If you, your company, or your company's attorneys, contend that any respirators or other breathing device is 12 currently on the market that will prevent the inhalation of asbestos dust and fibers, give the detailed description 13 of such respirator or other breathing device, together with how you know this will prevent the inhalation of such dust 14 and fibers, what tests were conducted, by whom and where, with sufficient detail to enable us to obtain the results 15 of such tests, also the dates when said respirators were first marketed. 16 ANSWER: 17 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 18 that it is argumentative and calls for expert medical and 19 scientific opinions. 20 INTERROGATORY NO. 34: 21 It is true, is it not, that your company has for 22 many years manufactured insulating materials containing asbestos and that such products have been placed upon the open market 23 to be purchased and used by the public? 24 ANSWER: 25 GAF no longer manufactures the products in question. 26 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground that it is 27 ambiguous in its use of the phrase "the public". 28 INTERROGATORY NO. 35: 29 Do you or your company recognize that such asbestos insulating materials are dangerous and harmful to human beings 30 and to the health of man? If your answer to this question is "Yes", then please explain when you came to this conclusion 31 and what, if anything, you have done about it to notify the public. If your answer is that your products are not harmful 32 then explain what tests were made upon which you base such ? conclusion. F?. ) .L MOI an 1 ANSWER: 2 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 3 that it is argumentative and calls for an expert medical 4 opinion. 5 INTERROGATORY NO. 36: 6 Please state whether or not your company has had knowledge of any deaths or serious lung disease among your 7 employees which has been attributed to the inhalation of asbestos dust or fibers. If so, please give the number, 8 the name where known, and address of such persons, together with the names and address of the doctors who administered 9 treatment to such persons, if -known, and reports of occupational diseases furnished Industrial Commission of the states and 10 attach copies of the latter. 11 ANSWER: 12 GAF did not employ persons in a capacity similar 13 to that of plaintiff. Thus GAF objects to this Interrogatory 14 on the ground that the information sought is irrelevant to 15 the subject matter of the instant action and not reasonably 16 calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. 17 INTERROGATORY NO. 37: 18 Assume for the purpose of this question that it has been known for many years that asbestos dust and fibers 19 have been dangerous to human beings: has your company done anything prior to 1969 to notify any segment of the American 20 population of such danger? If so, explain in detail just what you did, and give the dates. 21 ANSWER: 22 See answer to Interrogatory No. 2. 23 INTERROGATORY NO. 38: 24 If your company manufactures any insulating products 25 which are commonly used by insulators and which contain asbestos, please describe how the following products are cut, shaped, 26 mixed and applied on the jobs: 27 (1) Asbestos cement; (2) Asbestos pipe covering; 28 (3) Asbestos bricks or blocks; (4) Asbestos sheeting; 29 (5) Asbestos insulation used to cover extremes of heat as well as cold. 30 (6) Asbestos insulation in loose form which may be blown into homes or buildings; 31 (7) Asbestos in spray form, 32 XXX . R. D 1 ' * L . L. IO t /I .'si jy 1 giving particular reference as to whether or not the materials have to be sawed or cut on the job, blown into confined areas, 2 or mixed with water into a cement or paste. Then please state if there is any way known to you that the above products 3 can be used and applied without the worker inhaling any of the asbestos dust or fibers. 4 ANSWER: 5 1. ) Asbestos cement--mixed with water and sometimes 6 cement. Applied with a trowel. 7 2.) Asbestos pipe covering--applied directly 8 to pipe, usually with a metal band. Cut to size where necessary. 9 3.) Asbestos brick or blocks--similar to building 10 bricks, but using high temperature resistant adhesive. 11 4.) Asbestos Sheeting--GAF cannot answer without 12 clarification from the plaintiff as to what the term "Asbestos 13 Sheeting" refers to. 14 5.) Asbestos insulation used to cover extremes 15 of heat and cold--GAF cannot answer without clarification 16 as to what plaintiff means. 17 6.) Asbestos insulation in loose form--unknown. 18 7.) Asbestos in spray form--unknown. 19 20 GAF suggests that proper ventilation and respirators 21 be used at all times. 22 INTERROGATORY NO. 39: 23 Do you have any statistical figures available showing the number of employees employed with your company 24 who are exposed to asbestos dust and fibers and who have worked for your company twenty years or longer who have lung 25 disease? If so, please give such figures. 26 ANSWER: 27 GAF knows of none. 28 INTERROGATORY NO. 40: 29 Do you have any information derived from medical experiments or other sources or information of your own know 30 ledge, concerning the most common cause of death of one having asbestosis, if so, please describe what the most frequent 31 cause of death from one suffering from such disease is. 32 XXX R. .*L `101 1 ANSWER: 2 No, except to the extent obtained in pre-trial 3 discovery in other asbestosis actions. 4 INTERROGATORY NO. 41: 5 State: 6 (a) The net profit made by your company for each of the years since and including the year 7 1936. 8 (b) The net worth of your company as of the end of your annual.accounting period for each 9 of the years since 1936. 10 (c) The total dollar volume of sales of products manufactured by your company and include, 1 1 if possible, the total- amount of sales of products of your company containing asbestos 12 for each of the years since 1936. 13 ANSWER: 14 (a) GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the 15 ground that it is irrelevant 16 (b) GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the 17 ground that it is irrelevant 18 (c) GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the 19 ground that it is irrelevant except to the extent that sales 20 of thermal insu lation might be available. 21 INTERROGATORY NO. 42: 22 Please give the name and address of the president of your company, and also the name and address of the Chairman 23 of the Board of Directors. 24 ANSWER: 25 Dr. Jesse Werner, Chairman of the Board and Chief 26 Executive Officer 27 c/o GAF Corporation 28 140 West 51st Street 29 New York, New York 10020 30 INTERROGATORY NO. 43: 31 If your company has been unable to answer any of the foregoing interrogatories herein propounded, please 32 state the name and address of the person in your company f<. .) <*L .0)01 ;i 7a.''." *+ 1 having knowledge of the matters inquired about in these inter rogator ies. 2 ANSWER: 3 Phillip S. Bettoli 4 c/o GAF Corporation 5 140 West 51st Street 6 New York, New York 10020 7 8 William Schwingen 9 c/o GAF Corporation 10 140 West 51st Street 11 New York, New York . 10020 12 INTERROGATORY NO. 44: 13 Does your company recognize that Dr. Irving J. 14 Selikoff of New York, Dr. Philip Souchery of St. Paul and Dr. Sumner Cohen of Minneapolis are outstanding authorities 15 in the field of asbestosis, particularly among insulation workers? 16 ANSWER: 17 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the grounds 18 that it seeks an expert medical opinion. 19 INTERROGATORY NO. 45: 20 Do you agree that the following states had a Workmen's 21 Compensation Law covering the occupational disease of asbestosis beg inning n the years set oppositei their respective names 22 Iowa 1913 New. Mexico 1945 23 111inois 1913 Florida 1945 Hawaii 1915 New Jersey 1945 24 California 1917 Color ado 1945 Wisconsin 1919 Alaska 1946 25 Connecticut 1919 Georgia 19 4 6 New York 1935 Tennessee 1947 26 Pennsylvania 1937 New Hampshire 1947 Indiana 1937 Nevada 1947 27 Ohio 1937 Arkansas 1948 Washington 1939 West Virginia 1949 28 Maryland 1939 South Carolina 1949 Delaware 1941 Vermont 1951 29 Oregon 1943 Guam 1952 Nebraska 1943 Oklahoma 1953 30 Minnesota 1943 Missouri 1959 Michigan 1943 Puerto Rico 1960 31 Arizona 1943 Montana 1965 Virginia 1944 Maine 1967 32 3. '?. -L r, I r, 1 toun 1 I ANSWER: 2 GAF objects to this Interrogatory on the ground 3 that it is argumentative and seeks a legal conclusion. 4 INTERROGATORY NO. 46: 'tt 5 Does your company recognize that asbestos causes i asbestosis? If the answer is "Yes", when did you come to 6 such realization and what action did you take in response thereto? If your answer is "No", then please explain why 7 no studies were made by your company to ascertain that this fact was indeed true and thereafter to take action to advise 8 those exposed to your products of their dangerous nature. 9 ANSWER: 10 GAF recognizes that this sometimes happens under 1 1 certain circumstances. GAF realized this approximately in 12 1964. See Answer to Interrogatory No. 2. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 *. n. IJ ,UI0I ;;i 1 STATE OF NEW YORK ) ) ss. 2 COUNTY OF NEW YORK ) 3 MARY JANE ROTH, being duly sworn according to law, deposes 4 and says that she is an Assistant Secretary of defendant GAF Corporation; that she is duly authorized to make this 5 affidavit on behalf of said corporation; and that all of the statements set forth in the foregoing Answers to Plaintiff's 6 Interrogatories are true and correct to the best of her knowledge, information and belief. 7 8 9 Sworn to and subscribed before me this Jday 10 of 1979. 11 -------------------- 12 j. scutes Notary PlOiic. iij-.-j ii Y~.,, No. Oj-.OVU ' : 13 Qo111 IVeitCn,,'. . C-'intir yt men f. Nr.. . Cornrrm^.y.i Umii" i.,.,. i> . _ . 14 15 16 17 18 Attorney for Defendant GAF Corporation Oppenheimer, Wolff, Foster, Shepard and Donnelly 4824 IDS Center Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 7. .17. .A L I'i