HiTemp Boards
For more than 70 years, the Philip Carey Manufacturing Corporation was the United States’ top producer of asbestos-containing products, particularly asbestos insulation that was used in hundreds of thousands of homes, schools, and other commercial buildings nationwide. This company made millions of dollars touting the properties of asbestos and their marketing campaigns made them one of the most successful asbestos manufacturers ever. One of their most profitable product lines were their HiTemp items, including a board-type insulation known simply as HiTemp Board.
So, why were Philip Carey products such as HiTemp Board so popular? From the beginning of the twentieth century until the 1970s, asbestos was lauded as the best insulator money could buy. Individuals had been aware of the heat- and fire-resistant properties of the naturally-mined mineral for centuries, and after the Industrial Revolution, asbestos enjoyed widespread use. Indeed, asbestos does possess excellent insulating properties but the dangers it presents far outweigh the positive attributes of the toxic mineral.
Most of the general public was not aware of the dangers of asbestos until the Consumer Product Commission issued warnings about the mineral in the late 1970s. However, documents revealed within the last 20+ years indicate that there were individuals at Philip Carey Manufacturing Corporation and other similar companies that knew about asbestos’ toxic properties. Yet, they continued to manufacture HiTemp Board and other products from the HiTemp line. Investigations have revealed documents penned by a physician connected with the company, confirming the link between asbestos and cancer in Philip Carey workers and their families. Unfortunately, these warnings were ignored, the doctor fired, and the company continued to manufacture HiTemp Board and other similar products until asbestos regulations demand they stop, somewhere around 1980.
This cover up of the dangers of toxic asbestos affected the lives of hundreds – perhaps thousands – of individuals. Not only were Philip Carey Manufacturing Corporation employees and their families affected, but also the individuals who installed the HiTemp Board, and even home owners and others who encountered the insulation in their house or place of business, perhaps during renovations. Had the executives at Philip Carey been up front about the doctor’s concerns, many lives could have been spared and far fewer cases of mesothelioma would have been diagnosed during the last 50 years. Instead, many factory workers, insulators, pipe fitters, steamfitters, boiler makers, plumbers, shipyard workers, and others who encountered HiTemp Board have died of mesothelioma or are currently victims of the disease.
Did you work for Philip Carey Manufacturing Corporation or were you exposed to Philip Carey HiTemp products while on the job? Have you developed mesothelioma as a result of your exposure to HiTemp products? If so, you may have a right to monetary compensation for your suffering. The best way to determine your legal rights is to consult an experienced asbestos attorney. For more details, order our free mesothelioma information kit today.
Last modified: September 23 2008.
