Asbestos-Containing Products
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was used heavily throughout the 20th century in many industrial products due to its heat resistance, affordability, and durability. At one point, more than 6,000 different products contained asbestos, and some still do to this day. The mineral—a known carcinogen—was used at oil refineries, chemical plants, shipyards, power plants, and other heavy industry job sites, exposing workers, consumers, and the public to toxic asbestos fibers.
Last Updated:
- May 10, 2025
As early as the 1930s, manufacturers of asbestos-containing products knew about the dangers of asbestos. When inhaled, asbestos fibers embed themselves into the linings of the lungs, lung tissue, abdominal cavity, and other organs, causing deadly diseases decades down the line. Product manufacturers kept this information secret for years to preserve their bottom lines, endangering millions of workers in the process.
Which Industrial Products Contained Asbestos?
Various industrial and consumer products contained asbestos throughout the mid-20th century, and many industrial-grade products still use some amount of asbestos today. Some of the most industrial products that contributed to asbestos exposure include the following.
Pipe Insulation
One product that commonly contained asbestos was insulation, particularly around steam pipes, chemical lines, and high-temperature systems at refineries and chemical plants. Some manufacturers also added asbestos to the cement used to make pipes. Irregularly shaped pipes were often covered in a cementitious product known as “asbestos mud,” which was dumped from a sack and mixed for use. Sawing, cutting, or removing this insulation for installation, maintenance, or removal releases airborne asbestos fibers, endangering all nearby workers.
Block Insulation
Block insulation often covered large surfaces in factories and plants, such as tanks, furnaces, and heat exchangers. The blocks were often stacked and sealed in layers, which were cut to fit using saws or knives. Cutting these blocks for installation, repair, or removal released asbestos dust into the work environment.
High-Temperature Insulation Cements
Asbestos cement, or transite, is a mixture of cement and asbestos fibers that could withstand corrosion for a long time. Packaged in 50-pound bags, the cement powder was mixed with water on-site to create a paste, then applied to irregularly shaped surfaces like pipe elbows, joints, and block insulation gaps. Over time, it became brittle and crumbled during maintenance, releasing dust and airborne asbestos.
Refractory Cements
Refractory cements containing asbestos were dumped from bags and mixed with water or liquid binders on site before being applied to furnace walls, kilns, and other high-heat equipment. Workers often used hand tools to smooth the surface of the cement, and during maintenance, chiseling or breaking the cement released asbestos into the air.
Spray Refractory Products
Applied with pressurized spray guns to steel beams, boiler walls, and industrial ovens for fireproofing, spray refractory products were typically pumped from large drums and mixed with water before application. This method left overspray and dust in the air, creating hazardous working conditions in enclosed spaces. Over time, the material dried and became brittle, increasing the risk of fiber release when disturbed–especially during maintenance or demolition.
Asbestos Gaskets
Asbestos gaskets typically came in pre-cut rings or sheet packing material and were used to seal flanges, pumps, and pressure vessels at industrial sites. In sheet packing, about 90 percent of the product’s weight was woven asbestos. These materials were used in construction, boiler making, shipbuilding, and manufacturing to create tight seals between pipes, valves, and other parts. Workers handling sheet packing gaskets typically did the following:
- Laid a sheet of gasket material on a workbench
- Placed the flange or template over the sheet
- Used a hammer to “beat out” the gasket shape and cut around the edges, releasing asbestos fibers
Valve Packing Material
Made of woven asbestos fibers, valve packing material was designed to seal and insulate valves, pumps, and other fluid-handling equipment. Workers typically cut the material to length, wrapped it around valve stems or pump shafts, and compressed it using packing glands and wrenches to ensure a tight seal. Over time, handling worn or deteriorating asbestos valve packing during maintenance led to dangerous exposure risks.
Firebrick
Due to its natural fire resistance, asbestos firebrick was often used in furnaces, kilns, boilers, and industrial ovens. The material protected structures and equipment from extreme heat. However, cutting, drilling, or breaking firebricks released toxic asbestos fibers into the air.
Manufacturers of Asbestos Products
Asbestos product manufacturers failed to warn the public of the dangers of asbestos or place warning labels on their products. Due to the large number of lawsuits against them, many of these companies have filed for bankruptcy protection, prompting the establishment of asbestos trust funds to compensate asbestos-exposure victims.
Though the government has imposed some regulations on asbestos use, the material is not fully banned in the U.S. Meanwhile, workers who were exposed decades ago are now developing asbestos-related diseases. Some of the main manufacturers of asbestos-containing products that exposed workers include:
| Manufacturer | Product |
|---|---|
| Johns Manville | Pipe and Block Insulation, Insulating Cements |
| Owens-Corning | Pipe Insulation |
| Combustion Engineering | Insulating Cements |
| Fiberboard Corp. (Plant & Rubber Co.) | Pipe and Block Insulation, Insulating Cements |
| GAF-Ruberoid | Pipe and Block Insulation, Insulating Cements |
| W.R. Grace & Co. | High Temperature Insulating Cement, Spray Fireproofing |
| Celotex Corp (Phillip Carey) | Pipe and Block Insulation, Insulating Cements |
| Flexitallic Gasket Co. | Gaskets |
| Garlock | Gaskets |
High-Risk Trades Working Around Asbestos Products
Exposure to airborne asbestos fibers can lead to serious diseases like mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer, and millions of workers faced exposure throughout the 20th century. Workers did not have to handle the products directly to be exposed. They could unknowingly inhale the invisible fibers floating through the air just by simply being near another worker directly handling asbestos. Some workers are still at risk of exposure today, especially those working in buildings or factories built before the 1980s.
Some of the highest-risk trades for asbestos exposure include the following:
- Insulators
- Plumbers
- Pipefitters
- Boilermakers
- Electricians
- Construction workers
- Military personnel
- Shipyard workers
- Mechanics
- Firefighters
- Millwrights
- Laboreres
- Machinists
- Carpenters
- Ironworkers
- Welders
- Operators
- Painters
A Local 60 Pipefitter's Story
"We call 'em the asbestos crew and we just went in there."
Well, I was exposed to asbestos while cutting out insulation to put in the pipe because a lot of these oil refineries were constantly coming down and we had flanges to take apart. We had all sorts of pipe fitting and anytime we had to cut into a line, we knocked off the asbestos insulation. I was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2021.
Contact Louisiana Mesothelioma Advocates
If you suspect you or a loved one worked with an asbestos-containing product or around others working with asbestos-containing products—even if it was decades ago—and has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, seek legal counsel as soon as possible. If you would like, we can connect you with our sponsor, Baron & Budd P.C., to pursue the justice you deserve.
Contact Louisiana Mesothelioma Advocates online or by calling (504)504-MESO.
Content Reviewed by
Todd Kale
Todd Kale meets with mesothelioma patients and their families across Louisiana to investigate their asbestos exposure, providing compassionate support and guidance during a difficult time.