Narcogun PD-345

Product Description

Narcogun PD-345 was a spray-applied fireproofing material manufactured by Narco and marketed for use in industrial and commercial construction settings. Produced from approximately 1965 through the early 1980s, the product was part of a broader category of cementitious or fibrous spray fireproofing compounds that gained widespread adoption during the postwar construction boom. These materials were applied directly to structural steel members, concrete decking, and other building components to meet fire resistance ratings required by building codes and insurance underwriters.

Spray-applied fireproofing products like Narcogun PD-345 were considered highly practical during their production years. They could be applied quickly over complex structural geometries, providing thermal insulation that would slow the transfer of heat to load-bearing steel elements during a fire event. The construction industry’s demand for faster project timelines and cost-effective fire protection drove the widespread use of such products throughout the 1960s and 1970s across manufacturing plants, warehouses, refineries, and large commercial buildings.

Narcogun PD-345 is no longer manufactured, and the general category of asbestos-containing spray fireproofing has been subject to regulatory restriction and litigation for decades. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) framework and subsequent regulatory actions identified spray-applied asbestos-containing materials as a significant source of fiber release in both occupational and building environments.

Asbestos Content

Narcogun PD-345 contained chrysotile asbestos as a component of its formulated mixture. Chrysotile, sometimes referred to as white asbestos, is a serpentine-form mineral that was the most commonly used asbestos variety in North American construction and industrial products throughout the twentieth century. In spray fireproofing applications, chrysotile fibers served as a key functional ingredient, providing tensile reinforcement within the sprayed matrix and contributing to the material’s thermal resistance properties.

Despite being characterized by some manufacturers as the “safest” form of asbestos, chrysotile has been classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the National Toxicology Program, and other authoritative scientific and regulatory bodies. Chrysotile fibers are capable of lodging in lung tissue, the pleural lining, and other mesothelial surfaces, where they may cause mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and related diseases after a latency period that can span decades.

In the context of a product like Narcogun PD-345, the fibrous nature of chrysotile that made it useful as a construction material also made it hazardous during application, disturbance, and removal. Spray fireproofing formulations required the asbestos fibers to be thoroughly mixed and propelled through application equipment under pressure, creating conditions that generated significant airborne fiber concentrations.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers who handled, applied, disturbed, or worked in proximity to Narcogun PD-345 represented the primary population at risk for occupational asbestos exposure. The spray application process was inherently aerosol-generating: mixing dry or slurried asbestos-containing material and forcing it through spray nozzles at pressure dispersed fine particles and fibers into the surrounding air. Workers operating spray equipment were in close, sustained contact with this aerosol during the application phase.

Beyond primary applicators, other tradespeople and general workers present on construction sites or in industrial facilities where Narcogun PD-345 was being applied could be exposed through secondary or bystander contact. Overspray, airborne drift of fibrous particles, and the disturbance of partially dried material during adjacent work activities created exposure pathways that extended beyond the immediate spray zone.

After application, the material remained a potential exposure hazard throughout the life of the building. Maintenance workers, renovation crews, electricians, pipefitters, and others who disturbed spray-applied fireproofing during routine work or demolition activities could release previously bound fibers back into the air. This secondary exposure pattern has been documented extensively in the scientific and occupational health literature relating to spray-applied asbestos fireproofing materials as a class.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established permissible exposure limits for asbestos and has identified spray application of asbestos-containing materials as among the highest-risk activities associated with asbestos use. At the time Narcogun PD-345 was produced and widely applied, many workers had little or no access to appropriate respiratory protection or were not informed of the hazards associated with chrysotile-containing products.

Legal Tier: Tier 2 — Litigated Product

There is no established asbestos bankruptcy trust fund associated with Narcogun PD-345 or its manufacturer, Narco, in connection with this specific product. Individuals who were exposed to this product and subsequently developed an asbestos-related disease may have legal options through the civil court system rather than through a trust fund claims process.

Litigation records document claims brought by individuals alleging occupational exposure to asbestos-containing spray fireproofing products, including materials of the type manufactured and sold under the Narcogun product line. Plaintiffs alleged that manufacturers of such products were aware, or should have been aware, of the health hazards associated with asbestos fiber inhalation, and that they failed to adequately warn workers and end users of those risks. Plaintiffs further alleged that this failure to warn constituted negligence and that the products were defective in their design and labeling.

Litigation records also document claims against building owners, contractors, and other parties in the chain of distribution and use who plaintiffs alleged bore responsibility for ensuring safe conditions when asbestos-containing spray fireproofing was applied or disturbed.

Diseases typically associated with asbestos exposure claims include:

  • Mesothelioma (pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial)
  • Asbestosis
  • Asbestos-related lung cancer
  • Pleural plaques and pleural thickening with functional impairment

Because spray fireproofing work was performed across many job sites and industries, individuals exposed to Narcogun PD-345 may also have been exposed to other asbestos-containing products during their working lives. Asbestos litigation frequently involves claims against multiple defendants based on the totality of a plaintiff’s exposure history.

If you or a family member was exposed to Narcogun PD-345 or similar spray fireproofing products and has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease, consulting with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation is strongly recommended. Statutes of limitations vary by state and by disease type, and claims are generally governed by the law of the state where exposure occurred or where the plaintiff resides at the time of diagnosis. An experienced asbestos attorney can evaluate the full exposure history, identify all potentially liable parties, and advise on the appropriate legal pathway.

This article is provided for informational and reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Product documentation, occupational health records, and litigation filings should be reviewed by qualified legal and medical professionals in connection with any individual claim.