Document dQLLN5N4LLk9Yg8MzvMReMDNq

FILE NAME: Garlock (GAR) DATE: 1977 July 26 DOC#: GAR087 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Meeting Minutes with Attendee List - Product Liability Committee received MS 5 77 LAiV OiV'AS'iUCNT GARLOCK INC. RE: DATE: PRODUCT LIABILITY COMMITTEE MINUTES July 26, 1977 - 9:00 am - Oi eo CO PLAINTIFF'S <o EXHIBIT 2 3 o OCO o 5 i In Attendance: G Barlis M Burdulis J Guffey R Guild D Holmes B Keep E Kuhnen G LeRqy J Lynn M Panarites H Schaefer R Stay 1. Mim-ccnmittees. Sane of the product centers have set up their minicommittees; cithers have not. There was sane question as to just what these ccnnnttees should be doing. 2. Discussion cn the rating of our products as far as the importance in b e c m i n g involved in a product liability claim. Should the products be categorized as to (1) potential physical injury to a person and (2) danage to equipment. Can we categorize our products without the knowledge of what the end use is far our product? 3. Biggest area of exposure far us now is `asbestos*. It/was agreed that we would work cn this particular product first and through cur experiences, apply them to our other products. a. Bill Price and John Guffey were assigned the responsibility by Mr. Townsend to chair a labelling program in asbestos. They are to see that our labelling program satisfies all cur objectives and it is to be implemented by January 1, 1978. b. Mr. Guffey brought up the point that most companies have lost 'product liability suits because of their 'failure to warn*. After* seme discussion, it was the unanimous opinion of the caimittee that we immediately begin to label all advertising of our products that contain asbestos with the following phrase: CAUTION Cdvtains asbestos fibers. Avoid creating dust. Breathing asbestos dust may cause serious bodily harm. Mr. Stay was assigned the responsibility of seeing this label is cn all advertising of asbestos products. It was also de cided that all catalogs that have already been printed should be labelled with the warning before being sent out. (This warning to be only on products that contain asbestos.) > PRODUCT LIABILITY COMUTEE MINUTES Page 2 7/26/77 c. Other areas in which labelling should be dene are: (1) CA Sheet (2) Spool heads of braided asbestos material. (3) Labels inside boxes of our products that are sent to our distributors. d. It was suggest that letters be sent to all of our distributors stating the following: "Enclosed please find 'Caution* labels which we strongly recaimend that you, as our distributor, pass cn to all end users of cur products containing asbestos." There was a discussion as to which phrase should be used cn these labels: (1) CAUTION Contains asbestos fibers. Avoid creating dust. Breathing asbestos dust may cause serious bodily harm. (2) DANGER Cancer hazard. Contains asbestos fibers. Avoid creating dust. Fran a marketing point of view, it was suggested that the nunber (1) phrase be used fer all labelling. However, Mr. Lynn is to contact our legal department at corporate headquarters to find out which one they feel we should use. After an answer is received from Mr. Lynn, Mr. Stay will proceed in having these letters/labels sent out. e. Mr. Schaefer was concerned as to how the asbestos sheets should be labeled. Also, whether those sheets which did not show a Garlodc trademark;, did they need to shew a warn ing label. It was decided that all sheets will be imprinted with the warning label as sexn as Mr. Lynn finds out which cne to use. Also, all sheets presently in inventory should be labeled in sane way with the warning. PRODUCT LIABILITY COMMITTEE MINUTES Page 3 7/26/77 1 4. Items to be discussed at next meeting: a. Each Product Center manager to list all products and find out what their end use is. Not necessarily in order of liability. b. Review of our labelling program for asbestos. c. Warranty d. Sales training. e. Requests fran customers (Material Information Sheets) as to what materials our products contain. f. Proposed regulations on acrylonitrile. 5. Next meeting to be held on Tuesday, August 30, 9:00 a.ra., Personnel Conference Room, bldg. 6-1. 6. Any additions or changes in these minutes .should be brought to the attention of Mr. Fanarites. /bid ;