01. History of Asbestos Use
鸟类公司使用的历史
Bird Inc., the first name of Bird Corporation, began as a small paper mill not far from波士顿, in Needham and Dover, Massachusetts. At first, founder George Bird’s production was slow, making only five reams of paper each day. However, the company expanded quickly and by 1812, the paper company was chosen to supply the United States with the paper used for the American dollar bills.
These first products were produced without石棉纤维。但是，在1880年，该公司将其工厂和大部分机械损失为火灾和洪水。之后，鸟类公司被迫重塑自身。创始人乔治·伯德（George Bird）的儿子查尔斯·萨姆纳·伯德（Charles Sumner Bird）在公司的重塑中扮演着关键的角色。查尔斯（Charles）修补了唯一的机械，这些机械幸存下来，几个月之内，他就准备好发行了新产品：基于毛毡的沥青屋顶。该新产品包括石棉制造。
Bird Corporation在1800年代后期开发的基于Felt的沥青屋顶产品是同类产品中的第一个。新颖的产品在整个东北地区被广泛采用homes, barns and学校。The roofing felt remained popular and manufactured in the same way for nearly a century.
通过火灾和洪水，鸟类公司后来证明对美国军方有益的多功能性。在第二次世界大战开始时，现在称为Bird＆Sons的公司像当时的许多其他制造公司一样为战争做出了贡献。Bird＆Sons为军方生产了炮弹和运输纸箱。战争期间，全国各地的石棉使用正在增长，许多战争产品中都包括纤维，这可能导致军事人员的石棉暴露。
In 1980, Bird Corporation was named in an asbestos claim for the first time.
The housing boom that followed WWII was great for Bird’s business, and the company further adapted to the country’s needs. Bird & Sons created vinyl siding, another product that often included asbestos in its manufacture. Vinyl siding was one of Bird’s most popular and profitable products into the 1970s.
不幸的是，住房繁荣时期的繁荣鸟类公司感到短暂。1970年代中期到1980年代，对于公司来说，这是一个艰难的时期。随着住房繁荣的结束，Bird Corporation持续了第一个净亏损年，并于1980年开始命名asbestos lawsuits。The rough years that followed led to a 1996 failed merger withCertainTeed Corporation，另一家面临石棉诉讼的公司。两年后，即1998年，Bird Corporation被Certainteed Corporation成功收购了4000万美元。
02. Asbestos Products
Bird Corporation Asbestos Products
鸟类公司在他们的沥青屋顶材料to increase product strength, durability and heat- and fire-resistance. The popular含石棉的屋顶was a thick, paperboard-like product covered with asphalt. The product was added to roofs to aid in water and weather protection. In addition to asbestos, a mineral grit coats the roofing felt, which came in several weights for a variety of projects. The most common roofing felt is the 15-lb. variety, the lightest option allowed under most building codes. The 15 lb. roofing felt produced by the Bird Corporation is known to have contained asbestos.
被认为包含石棉的鸟类公司生产的特定产品包括但不限于：
- 鸟15磅的基础表
- 鸟45磅的基础表
- Asbestos Felts
- Buca™屋顶涂料
- 攀登™屋顶涂料
- Pacific™ asbestos roofing cap sheets
03.职业曝光
Bird Corporation and Occupational Exposure
接触鸟类石棉的产品可能发生在许多地方不同的工作场所全国各地。1700年代始于1700年代开始的一台米尔运营在1994年雇用了170多名员工，这是其出售前四年。
Former Bird Corporation employees are not the only people at risk of职业石棉暴露due to the company’s use of the carcinogen. Even today, construction and demolition workers may be exposed to Bird Corporation asbestos roofing materials when working on older homes and businesses.
04.石棉诉讼
Asbestos Litigation Against Bird Corporation
Bird Corporation began to be inundated with asbestos-related liability cases in the 1980s. To date, the company has been named in some 550asbestos claims。
公司Bird Corporation合并的Certainteed也已在许多石棉案件中被命名，并已向与石棉相关疾病的受害者支付了数百万美元。
Both companies were large manufacturers of石棉产品，直到1970年代，鸟类公司都将石棉包括在其产品中。Certainteed直到大约20年后才从其产品中删除石棉，停止在1990年代左右使用石棉。
由于过去将石棉包含在其产品中，鸟类公司和确定性仍面临法律影响。
