Narcogun MC-339 (Keene Corporation)

Product Description

The Narcogun MC-339 was an industrial product manufactured by Keene Corporation, a company that operated across multiple building materials and industrial product lines during much of the twentieth century. Keene Corporation became one of the significant names in asbestos litigation due to the breadth of its product catalog, which spanned categories including floor tile, pipe insulation, refractory materials, spray-applied fireproofing, and valves and steam traps. The Narcogun MC-339 falls within this documented product history and has appeared in asbestos-related litigation brought by industrial workers who alleged occupational exposure during the course of their employment.

Keene Corporation’s manufacturing operations touched numerous industries, and its products were distributed broadly across commercial, industrial, and construction sectors. The company’s involvement in asbestos-containing product manufacturing placed it among the defendants named in thousands of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits filed during the decades-long wave of asbestos litigation in the United States. The Narcogun MC-339 specifically has been identified in litigation records as a product associated with Keene’s industrial product line, used in settings where industrial workers came into regular contact with the materials it contained or produced during application and use.

Asbestos Content

The specific asbestos fiber type and percentage composition of the Narcogun MC-339 have been addressed in litigation proceedings involving Keene Corporation. Plaintiffs alleged that the product contained asbestos as a functional component, consistent with manufacturing practices common among industrial product makers during the period when asbestos was widely used for its heat resistance, tensile strength, and fire-retardant properties.

Keene Corporation’s products across several categories — including refractory compounds, spray fireproofing materials, and pipe insulation — routinely incorporated asbestos mineral fibers during production eras when such inclusion was standard industry practice. Litigation records document that asbestos-containing products associated with Keene were used in environments where the material could be disturbed, abraded, or otherwise rendered friable, releasing respirable fibers into workplace air. The Narcogun MC-339, given its placement across product categories such as spray fireproofing and refractory applications, would have been used in environments where heat, friction, or mechanical disturbance was a routine operational condition.

Because precise formulation documentation for the Narcogun MC-339 has not been fully disclosed in publicly available records, the asbestos content allegations associated with this product derive primarily from plaintiff testimony, industrial hygiene evaluations submitted in litigation, and Keene Corporation’s broader product history as established through discovery in asbestos personal injury cases.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers represent the primary category of individuals documented in litigation as having been exposed to the Narcogun MC-339 and related Keene Corporation products. The nature of exposure depended significantly on the specific application in which the product was used.

In spray fireproofing applications, workers applying the material — as well as bystanders working in adjacent areas — faced inhalation risk from aerosolized asbestos fibers released during the spray process. Spray-applied fireproofing was a common method used in commercial construction and industrial facilities from mid-century onward, and litigation records document that the application of such materials generated significant airborne fiber concentrations in the absence of adequate respiratory protection or engineering controls.

In pipe insulation contexts, workers who installed, repaired, cut, or removed insulation products encountered asbestos fibers when the material was disturbed. Pipefitters, insulators, and maintenance workers have historically constituted a significant portion of asbestos disease claimants, given the repetitive nature of their contact with insulation materials throughout working careers.

Refractory products used in furnaces, kilns, boilers, and high-temperature industrial equipment similarly presented exposure risks during installation, maintenance, and demolition. Workers in steel mills, foundries, power generation facilities, and manufacturing plants who handled or worked near refractory materials containing asbestos were at risk of inhaling fibers released when the materials were cut, shaped, or disturbed.

Floor tile installation and removal presented additional exposure pathways. Workers cutting tile, scraping adhesive, or removing deteriorated flooring in older commercial and industrial buildings could release asbestos fibers bound within the tile matrix. Demolition and renovation workers have been among the trades represented in floor tile asbestos litigation involving Keene Corporation products.

Valves and steam traps represent another documented exposure category. These components were used extensively in industrial piping systems, and their packing, gaskets, or insulation could contain asbestos. Workers servicing or replacing valves and steam trap assemblies — including pipefitters, boilermakers, and general maintenance personnel — could disturb asbestos-containing components in the course of routine work.

Plaintiffs alleged in litigation that Keene Corporation was aware, or should have been aware, of the hazards associated with asbestos exposure and failed to provide adequate warnings to workers who used or encountered its products. This failure-to-warn theory has been central to asbestos personal injury litigation involving Keene Corporation across multiple product lines.

The Narcogun MC-339 and associated Keene Corporation products fall within Tier 2 litigation status, meaning claims related to this product are pursued through the civil court system rather than through an established asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. Keene Corporation’s asbestos liability history is extensive, and litigation records document that the company faced substantial legal exposure across the product categories associated with the Narcogun MC-339.

Individuals who were employed as industrial workers and who received a diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease — including mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease — and who have a documented occupational history that included potential contact with Narcogun MC-339 or other Keene Corporation products may have legal remedies available.

Because this product is categorized as a litigated product rather than a trust fund product, eligible claimants would typically pursue compensation through:

  • Asbestos personal injury lawsuits filed in state or federal court against responsible parties
  • Wrongful death actions filed by surviving family members on behalf of deceased workers
  • Multi-defendant litigation in jurisdictions with established asbestos dockets, where Keene Corporation’s successor entities or insurers may be named

Plaintiffs alleged in documented litigation that Keene Corporation products caused serious and fatal asbestos-related disease in workers who were not adequately warned of the risks associated with asbestos exposure. Litigation records document settlements and judgments in cases involving Keene Corporation asbestos products across multiple jurisdictions.

Workers or surviving family members with potential claims involving the Narcogun MC-339 should consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation. Statutes of limitations vary by state and by disease type, and claims are generally required to be filed within a defined period following diagnosis or the date on which the claimant knew or should have known of the connection between illness and asbestos exposure.

This article is provided for informational purposes based on documented litigation history and public records. It does not constitute legal advice.