Document wYobeYd1Ld6MnQEKVjwjnnX3

FILE NAME: National Gypsum (NG) DATE: 1974 Nov 1 DOC#: NG052 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo to Customers RE Discontinuance of Asbestos-Containing Joint Treatment Products 3 4 ^ 5 Gold fcond GOLD BOND BUILDING PRODUCTS I V IS IO N O l N A I IO N A I ( ,YI ' '".I IM < :i IM I 'ANV I . " . I 111 A W A H I A V I M l M I I I H I A l O M l W M > H I\ 1-1. ` , 11. H ' . . ' M tH O November 1, 1974 To: Subject: Our Customers Discontinuance of Asbestos-Containing Joint Treatment Products Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) a nation wide standard has been established by regulations of the Department of Labor for work conditions where asbestos fibers are emitted into the air. Since most joint treatment compounds have contained asbestos and emit asbestos dust when dry mixed or dry sanded, they are subject to the OSHA regulations. Those regulations require employers (contractors) to protect employees from exposure to asbestos dust, to provide or make available annual medical examinations, to monitor fiber emissions on jobs and keep records of such monitoring, to provide warning signs, to dispose of job debris in sealed con tainers bearing caution labels and many other specific re quirements . A news release from the Department of Labor, covering some of the major requirements of the regulation, is attached for your information. Note: Complete text of the regulation can be obtained from the local Department of Labor office or from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Gov ernment Printing Office, Washington, D 0C. 20402. Refer to General Industry Safety & Health Regulations Part 1910 (OSHA 2207) GPO #201500035. Additionally, a recent Minnesota statute appears to prohibit the shipping into Minnesota of joint treatment products which contain asbestos. It also appears to prohibit the sale, pur- 2 To: Our Customers chase, resale, delivery or use of such compounds. A copy of this statute is attached for your information. Because of that statute, we are discontinuing the sale in Minnesota of all asbestos-containing joint treatment compounds. Gold Bond Building Products has developed asbestos-free joint treatment products which are being used successfully by our customers and which comply with the Minnesota statute. Our new product Triple T Compound is available from immediate ship ment from our Ft. Dodge, Iowa and Matteson, Illinois Plants, Ready Mixed products are also available for immediate ship ment only from our Matteson, plant. A technical bulletin on these products is attached. We will accept orders for asbestos-containing compounds, when specified, for shipment before December 1, 1974, in order for you to meet any contractual commitments that you may have. Effective at once, we will, however, ship only non-asbestos compounds on all other orders. Your Gold Bond Representative will be glad to answer questions you may have, and will be calling on you to provide you with further technical information on these new products. Gold Bond Building Products recognizes its responsibility to manufacture products that conform to Federal and State law while still maintaining the highest possible quality. We know that you understand the need for both Gold Bond Building Products and our customers to fully comply with the applicable laws. We urge your cooperation in complying with these requirements. MARKETING DEPARTMENT Gold Bond Building Products Division of National Gypsum Company / les a tt. 1) U.S. Department of Labor - News Letter 2) State of Minnesota - Trade Regulations 3) Gold Bond Technical Information Bulletin