Asbestos Cement: A Danger Decades Later

Asbestos Cement: A Danger Decades Later

The World Health Organization suggests that each year, more than 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos while working. Asbestos was used in many industrial and construction applications in the 20th century. When asbestos is swallowed or inhaled, the fibers present a very significant health risk, including deadly diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Today, those most at risk for asbestos exposure are those that repair, remove, renovate or do general maintenance on older buildings that contain asbestos from years ago.

Asbestos-Containing Cement
Asbestos was valued as insulation for high-friction materials or heat-generating equipment because it is heat, chemical, and fire-resistant. For durability and temperature resistance, asbestos fibers were added to many commercial products, such as cement. Asbestos was regularly used in:

  • Bonding agents held concrete blocks and cinderblocks together and contained asbestos to prevent cracking in the finished product.
  • Cement blocks and cinderblocks were made with asbestos to make them stronger and fireproof.
  • Cement countertops were used in laboratories because they were resistant to heat and chemical corrosion.
  • Cement gutters were used along roadsides and as splash gutters for home exteriors.
  • Cement panels and boards were used as walls of insulation next to heat sources such as electrical boxes.
  • Cement pipes were widely used in the plumbing of residential homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities.
  • Concrete pipes were used in municipal water, wastewater, and stormwater systems throughout the U.S. until the mid-20th century.
  • Furnace cement was used to seal and repair furnaces.
  • Patching compound and sealant in and around heat sources.
  • Roofing adhesive to install asbestos-containing roofing shingles and corrugated sheets.
  • Roofing shingles, sheets, and tiles
  • Siding cement because of its strength with flexibility and its characteristic of being fireproof.

Asbestos was mixed into the cement as a binder to provide the half-inch thickness, which is required for building siding. Asbestos cement is 10 percent asbestos, mixed with 90 percent sand and Portland cement. The cement is molded or cast into siding shingles, roofing tiles, and other items. Past workers were exposed to the asbestos fibers while:

  • Opening the raw asbestos fibers bags.
  • Mixing the cement.
  • Shaping it into cement blocks, sheets, roofing shingles, roofing tiles, etc.

Another type of exposure was when the cement sheet products were stacked, emitting dangerous dust into the air. Part of the manufacturing process that releases asbestos dust into the air was transferring cement products to the shipping department.

There was significant demand for manufactured cement products due to increased new construction after the 1920s and through the 1990s. As workers handled these materials, the asbestos fibers were inhaled or ingested, putting them at risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.

Since the latency period between initial asbestos exposure and disease development can be decades, those cement workers are now just being diagnosed with lung cancer and mesothelioma. Even though asbestos is no longer used in this capacity, construction workers and building maintenance workers are still at risk. According to the CDC, OSHA estimates that over one million workers general industry workers are exposed during the repair and maintenance of these older buildings.

Why Weren’t Workers Protected from Asbestos Exposure?
Evidence discovered in thousands of court documents has shown that asbestos companies hid and destroyed memos and documents and ignored doctor’s medical reports about the dangers of asbestos exposure.

In the 1970s, scientific evidence had mounted concerning the association of asbestos with serious health effects. Today, many asbestos manufacturers and companies are being held accountable for placing profits over workers’ health. Money has been set aside in the form of asbestos trusts to pay out those who have been injured.

You may be able to recover damages depending on the circumstances of your asbestos exposure.  If you are suffering from lung cancer or mesothelioma contact the asbestos attorneys at Goldberg, Persky & White today to learn more.

Sources:
Sobala Wojcieh, Swiatkowska Beata, Szeszenia-Dabrowska Neonila,Szubert Zuzanna, Wilczynska Urula,  “Asbestos-related diseases among workers of asbestos processing plants in relation to production and asbestos use.” (2015) [Link]
“Asbestos Law and Regulations” EPA Environmental Protection Agency [Link]
Master List of Asbestos Producing Companies” InspectApedia Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Construction, Diagnosis, Maintenance & Repair [Link]
“Asbestos Toxicity, Who is at Risk of Asbestos Exposure?” Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. CDC (2018). [Link]
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