Asbestos Exposure & Industry - O'Brien Law Firm

COMMON TYPES OF ASBESTOS PRODUCTS

Asbestos was used in a wide range of industries for its heat and electrical resistance and its ability to bind materials together. It was also used as an inexpensive composite filler. Between the 1940s and 1980s, many types of asbestos products and asbestos-containing materials were used in industrial, commercial, and residential settings. Products which were commonly found to contain asbestos and lead to possible exposure during this time include:

JOBSITES

Industrial

Chemical plants
Foundries
Oil refineries
Power houses
Steel mills

Commercial

Hospitals
Manufacturing
Office buildings
Schools

INDUSTRIAL INSULATION & SEALING PRODUCTS

Block insulation
Cements
Gaskets
Mastics
Muds
Packing
Pipe covering
Refractory
Tape

PLASTICS

Bakelite
Molding compounds
Phenolic resins
Thermo plastics
Thermoset plastics

PIPING

Acid/caustic pipe
Asbestos cement (AC) pipe
Fresh water pipe
Irrigation pipe
Sewer pipe
Transite

INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

Blowers/fans
Boilers
Compressors
Cooling towers
Dryers/dehydrators
Furnaces
Heat exchangers
Ovens
Pumps
Steam traps
Steam turbines
Tanks/vessels
Valves

HVAC EQUIPMENT

Boilers
Cooling units
Duct connectors
Furnaces
Radiators
Steam traps

AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS

Brakes
Clutches
Gaskets
Muffler
Sealants

ELECTRICAL

Bakelite
Cement conduit
Circuit breakers
Electrical wire
Generators
Motors
Switch gear
Transformers
Wiring/cable coating

HOME PRODUCTS

Caulk
Ceiling insulation
Flooring
Joint compound
Plaster
Roofing products
Siding
Tiles
Window glaze

TYPES OF ASBESTOS

Chrysotile

Amosite

Crocidolite

Chrysotile is the most common variety of asbestos found in North America. It accounts for approximately 90-95% of asbestos that was used in commercial applications in the United States. Chrysotile asbestos fibers are long, white, and curly, with a more “fluffy” appearance than other types of asbestos. It is classified as serpentine asbestos because of its curly, flexible fibers that can be woven.

Amosite is often referred to as brown asbestos due to its high iron content. It was most commonly used within different types of insulation products. Amosite, along with crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite, are classified as amphibole asbestos because of their straight, brittle, and needlelike fibers.

Crocidolite, commonly referred to as African Blue asbestos, is often considered the most lethal form of the mineral. Crocidolite was chiefly mined in South Africa and miners described a blue haze in the air during mining operations. This fiber is known for its increased biopersistence (it is particularly difficult to clear from the lungs and pleura), its tensile strength, and its resistance to acids and other chemicals.

Tremolite

Anthophyllite

Actinolite

Tremolite was not mined commercially on its own, but could be found as a contaminant in chrysotile asbestos, vermiculite, and industrial talc powders. Tremolite can appear brown, gray, white, green, or even translucent.

Traces of anthophyllite can be found in vermiculite and industrial talc products. Anthophyllite asbestos can range in color from white to gray to brown.

Actinolite is a rare form of asbestos that can be found as a trace contaminate in products, including ones containing industrial talc and vermiculite. It has a harsh texture and is most often found in metamorphic rock. It can appear in many shades, such as green, yellow, brown, white, or gray.