Asbestos Products, Materials and Mesothelioma
Asbestos is a light, strong, heat- and fire-resistant mineral fiber used in about 3,000 products. Its first documented use dates back to the ancient Greeks, who also wrote about how those working with asbestos became ill. Asbestos causes several types of cancer and can cause asbestosis, which can severely limit your ability to breathe.
Asbestos’ uses were only limited by the imagination of those selling the fibers and their products, how well engineers could find applications for it, and the effectiveness of marketing and sales campaigns.
It was widely used as an insulator in industrial applications and commercial buildings. Home uses included floor tiles, glues, and joint compounds. Asbestos products were in homes, offices, factories, vehicles, ships, and aircraft.
Intact products containing asbestos are generally not dangerous. Problems arose when they were applied, removed, cut, sanded, or deteriorated to the point they started falling apart. This resulted in the release of asbestos fibers into the air. Those in the area could inhale or ingest fibers, beginning the process that could result in fatal cancers like mesothelioma years or decades later.
Depending on the type of work someone performed and the worksite, they may be exposed to several types of asbestos products. If they come home in clothes with asbestos fibers on them, family members may also be exposed.
Makeup
Talcum powder in cosmetics may be contaminated with asbestos. Talc (which is processed to become talcum powder) and asbestos are naturally occurring minerals that may be found near each other or mixed in rock formations or underground.
Popcorn ceilings
Popcorn ceilings appear to be small pieces of popcorn stuck to a ceiling. They weren’t made of popcorn; they contained asbestos fibers. This spray-on ceiling material acted as a fire retardant and made rooms quieter. The asbestos also made them a potential health hazard.
Asbestos in the home
If your home was built before the mid-1980s, there’s a chance asbestos-containing products are present. They could be in attic insulation, spray-on ceilings, or tiles covering your basement floor.
Asbestos tiles
Floor and ceiling tiles commonly contained asbestos fibers because of their durability, strength, heat, and fire resistance. During most of the 20th century, tiles were widely installed in homes, commercial buildings, hospitals, and offices.
Home products
Asbestos was widely used in many home products. It was in paper that insulated ductwork, in glues that attached asbestos-containing tiles to floors, in hair dryers and oven mitts. Any room in a home could have asbestos-containing products.
Maritime and shipyard products
For decades, asbestos-containing products have been widely used on civilian and military ships because asbestos fibers are fire-resistant, insulate well, and are durable. They could be part of insulation, gaskets, packing, fireproofing, flooring, adhesives, and protective clothing.
Trains and locomotives
Asbestos products used on trains and locomotives include brake pads and shoes, gaskets, seals, thermal insulation, and soundproofing. Asbestos fibers were used because of their strength and ability to resist heat, fire, and electricity.
Electrical products
Asbestos-containing products were used in a wide range of electrical equipment and uses, mainly because fibers are resistant to electricity, heat, and fire. The equipment was used in every type of building, from homes to power plants and steel mills.
Auto parts
Asbestos-containing auto parts are primarily in brakes and transmissions. Asbestos is in brake components because of its durability and heat resistance. Asbestos is used in clutches and transmission parts because it lasts longer than alternatives.
Insulation types
Asbestos’ strength and heat resistance made it a good choice for insulation, but for the fact fibers could kill those using it. Insulation using asbestos covered steam pipes, boilers, turbines, and HVAC ducts.
Phenolic molding compounds
Manufacturing some automotive, electrical, and aircraft products involved compression molding of material that contained asbestos. The process involved heavy asbestos exposure to plant workers.
Circuit breakers
A circuit breaker panel is a critical part of a building’s electrical system. Electricity causes heat, and if the system isn’t grounded and wired correctly, an electrical short could start a fire. Asbestos products were used to reduce heat and the chances of a fire.
Cigarette filters
Someone who smokes and inhales asbestos is at a much higher risk of lung cancer. Asbestos-containing filters were marketed as making smoking safer, but they made it more dangerous.
Switchgear
Switchgear is an essential piece of electrical equipment that, for decades, was made or installed with asbestos insulation. Asbestos was used to prevent fires or the electrocution of someone working on the equipment.
Cigarettes
Some cigarettes were sold with filters made of asbestos . Users inhaled tobacco smoke and asbestos fibers at the same time.
Boilers
Boilers heat water and other liquids. They heat buildings and create steam. They often become extremely hot, and asbestos insulation was used to protect equipment and those working on them.
Cosmetic talcum powder
Talcum powder is a ground and processed form of the mineral talc. In some rock formations, talc and asbestos formed together. Asbestos may contaminate cosmetic talcum powder causing users to be exposed to deadly fibers.
Turbines
Turbine engines create intense heat. Asbestos-containing insulation products were used to control that heat, prevent gas or liquid leaks, protect engine components, and prevent engine failures.
Pipe Insulation
Asbestos-containing insulation was mainly used in high-temperature settings, such as on steam pipes in buildings, power plants, and ships. Fibers are released when the insulation is applied, cut, torn off, or removed.
Annealing furnaces
Annealing furnaces use extreme heat to alter the characteristics of metal or glass so it can be used as different products. Asbestos insulation was used with these furnaces to control that heat.
Block insulation
Asbestos-containing block insulation was used on surfaces that became extremely hot. It protected equipment and those working around it. Asbestos fibers were released into the area when the insulation was cut to fit a particular application.
Paint ovens
Paint ovens are equipment used to heat up and cure painted or coated materials. Asbestos-containing insulation was used in and on these ovens.
Brake linings
Brake linings are surfaces that are ground down to slow or stop a vehicle, train, or aircraft. Because of its strength, asbestos is used in brake linings to prolong their use. Those who installed, worked around, or removed asbestos brake linings were significantly exposed to asbestos fibers.
Zonolite insulation
Zonolite is a brand name for vermiculite insulation. Like talc, vermiculite is a processed mineral that can be contaminated with asbestos. It was often used in attics, where asbestos fibers could be inhaled by those installing, moving, or removing the insulation.
Brake pads
Brake pads are the brake parts that are applied to brake linings. The friction between the two slows down and can stop the vehicle. Asbestos is used in these pads because of the heat created and to prolong the brake system’s life.
Spray-on insulation
Asbestos-containing spray-on insulation was used to fireproof steel girders in buildings and ships. Applying it created clouds of asbestos and improperly removing it could also release fibers into the air.
Clutches
A transmission clutch temporarily stops the engine’s power, allowing gears to change. Tolerance to high heat and the durability of asbestos made it a key clutch component. Those working on transmissions could be exposed to fibers inside.
Gaskets
Gaskets create seals in equipment to prevent leaks during periods of high stress or heat. Creating, installing, and removing asbestos-containing gaskets involves the risk of exposure.
Industrial talc
Talc is used for industrial purposes, such as making ceramics, paints, paper, and plastics. Talc is dug up from open pit mines where asbestos may also be located. If industrial talc is contaminated with asbestos, users risk exposure.
Packing
Packing is material that is cut to form gaskets. It can consist of braided fibers impregnated with a sealant or lubricant. Packing is also stuffed into valves and pumps for a variety of applications. In the past, many packing materials also contained asbestos.
Floor tiles
Asbestos was used in floor tiles because of its durability and strength. They lasted longer and withstood more wear and tear than non-asbestos flooring. Asbestos fibers could be released when tiles are cut, ripped apart, chipped, or sanded. Often, asbestos-containing mastics or glues held them in place.
Transite
This is a Johns Manville brand name for a mix of cement and asbestos that formed many products, including pipes and wallboards. Fibers could be released when the material is cut, drilled into, or damaged.
Wall tiles
These tiles are attached to walls, usually in bathrooms or kitchens. They can be made from various materials and, for a time, also contained asbestos. That was used to improve durability and water resistance and as a fireproofing.
Wire
In the past, some electrical wires contained asbestos insulation because it’s resistant to fire, heat, and electricity. Asbestos-containing wires, when they’re cut or disturbed, may release fibers.
Ceiling tiles
Asbestos-containing ceiling tiles were used to deaden sound and as fireproofing. Fibers could be released when they were handled, installed, removed, cut, or as they aged and deteriorated.
Why You Should Hire Satterley & Kelley, PLLC for Your Cancer Case
If you’re diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related cancer, you may be entitled to compensation for what you’ve endured. This includes physical and mental pain and suffering, financial costs, medical bills, and how the disease impacts your relationships.
You need a law firm with experience representing victims taking legal action against the asbestos industry. Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorneys have helped asbestos victims for more than 25 years.
We have relationships with the best experts in the world to help us prove that asbestos caused your injury and the physical, emotional, psychological, and financial harm you suffered.
Call Us Today for A Free Consultation
If you or a family member in Kentucky suffers from an asbestos-related condition, including mesothelioma, Satterley & Kelley PLLC will be your trusted local law firm. Call us at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation with a Satterley & Kelley PLLC lawyer.