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Commitments and Contingencies (Notes)
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Environmental Matters

The Company accrues for potential environmental liabilities when it is probable a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability is reasonably estimable. As of September 30, 2016, reserves for environmental liabilities totaled $55 million, of which $15 million was recorded within other current liabilities and $40 million was recorded within other noncurrent liabilities in the consolidated statements of financial position. Reserves for environmental liabilities totaled $23 million at September 30, 2015. Such potential liabilities accrued by the Company do not take into consideration possible recoveries of future insurance proceeds. They do, however, take into account the likely share other parties will bear at remediation sites. It is difficult to estimate the Company’s ultimate level of liability at many remediation sites due to the large number of other parties that may be involved, the complexity of determining the relative liability among those parties, the uncertainty as to the nature and scope of the investigations and remediation to be conducted, the uncertainty in the application of law and risk assessment, the various choices and costs associated with diverse technologies that may be used in corrective actions at the sites, and the often quite lengthy periods over which eventual remediation may occur. Nevertheless, the Company does not currently believe that any claims, penalties or costs in connection with known environmental matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In addition, the Company has identified asset retirement obligations for environmental matters that are expected to be addressed at the retirement, disposal, removal or abandonment of existing owned facilities, primarily in the Power Solutions and Buildings businesses. At September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded conditional asset retirement obligations of $74 million and $59 million, respectively.

Asbestos Matters

The Company and certain of its subsidiaries, along with numerous other third parties, are named as defendants in personal injury lawsuits based on alleged exposure to asbestos containing materials. These cases have typically involved product liability claims based primarily on allegations of manufacture, sale or distribution of industrial products that either contained asbestos or were used with asbestos containing components.

As of September 30, 2016, the Company's estimated asbestos related net liability recorded on a discounted basis within the Company's consolidated statements of financial position is $148 million. The net liability within the consolidated statements of financial position is comprised of a liability for pending and future claims and related defense costs of $548 million, of which $35 million is recorded in other current liabilities and $513 million is recorded in other noncurrent liabilities. The Company also maintains separate cash, investments and receivables related to insurance recoveries within the consolidated statements of financial position of $400 million, of which $41 million is recorded in other current assets, and $359 million is recorded in other noncurrent assets. Assets include $16 million of cash and $264 million of investments, which have all been designated as restricted. In connection with the recognition of liabilities for asbestos-related matters, the Company records asbestos-related insurance recoveries that are probable; the amount of such recoveries recorded at September 30, 2016 is $120 million. The Company believes that the asbestos related liabilities and insurance related receivables recorded as of September 30, 2016 are appropriate. As of September 30, 2015, the Company's estimated asbestos related net liability recorded on a discounted basis within the Company's consolidated statements of financial position is comprised of a liability for pending and future claims and related defense costs of $136 million and is primarily recorded in other noncurrent liabilities. There were no assets recorded related to the Company's asbestos obligations at September 30, 2015. The assets recorded in fiscal 2016 were as a result of assets acquired as part of the Tyco Merger.

The Company's estimate of the liability and corresponding insurance recovery for pending and future claims and defense costs is based on the Company's historical claim experience, and estimates of the number and resolution cost of potential future claims that may be filed and is discounted to present value from 2069 (which is the Company's reasonable best estimate of the actuarially determined time period through which asbestos-related claims will be filed against Company affiliates). Asbestos related defense costs are included in the asbestos liability. The Company's legal strategy for resolving claims also impacts these estimates. The Company considers various trends and developments in evaluating the period of time (the look-back period) over which historical claim and settlement experience is used to estimate and value claims reasonably projected to be made through 2069. Annually, the Company assesses the sufficiency of its estimated liability for pending and future claims and defense costs by evaluating actual experience regarding claims filed, settled and dismissed, and amounts paid in settlements. In addition to claims and settlement experience, the Company considers additional quantitative and qualitative factors such as changes in legislation, the legal environment, and the Company's defense strategy. The Company also evaluates the recoverability of its insurance receivable on an annual basis. The Company evaluates all of these factors and determines whether a change in the estimate of its liability for pending and future claims and defense costs or insurance receivable is warranted.

The amounts recorded by the Company for asbestos-related liabilities and insurance-related assets are based on the Company's strategies for resolving its asbestos claims, currently available information, and a number of estimates and assumptions. Key variables and assumptions include the number and type of new claims that are filed each year, the average cost of resolution of claims, the identity of defendants, the resolution of coverage issues with insurance carriers, amount of insurance, and the solvency risk with respect to the Company's insurance carriers. Many of these factors are closely linked, such that a change in one variable or assumption will impact one or more of the others, and no single variable or assumption predominately influences the determination of the Company's asbestos-related liabilities and insurance-related assets. Furthermore, predictions with respect to these variables are subject to greater uncertainty in the later portion of the projection period. Other factors that may affect the Company's liability and cash payments for asbestos-related matters include uncertainties surrounding the litigation process from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and from case to case, reforms of state or federal tort legislation and the applicability of insurance policies among subsidiaries. As a result, actual liabilities or insurance recoveries could be significantly higher or lower than those recorded if assumptions used in the Company's calculations vary significantly from actual results.

Insurable Liabilities

The Company records liabilities for its workers' compensation, product, general and auto liabilities. The determination of these liabilities and related expenses is dependent on claims experience. For most of these liabilities, claims incurred but not yet reported are estimated by utilizing actuarial valuations based upon historical claims experience. At September 30, 2016 and 2015, the insurable liabilities totaled $473 million and $194 million, respectively, of which $70 million and $28 million was recorded within other current liabilities, $36 million and $25 million was recorded within accrued compensation and benefits, and $367 million and $141 million was recorded within other noncurrent liabilities in the consolidated statements of financial position, respectively. The Company records receivables from third party insurers when recovery has been determined to be probable. The Company maintains captive insurance companies to manage certain of its insurable liabilities.

The Company is involved in various lawsuits, claims and proceedings incident to the operation of its businesses, including those pertaining to product liability, environmental, safety and health, intellectual property, employment, commercial and contractual matters, and various other casualty matters. Although the outcome of litigation cannot be predicted with certainty and some lawsuits, claims or proceedings may be disposed of unfavorably to us, it is management’s opinion that none of these will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Costs related to such matters were not material to the periods presented.