Asbestos Facts
The term asbestos comes from the Greek word for “inextinguishable” or “indestructible.” Asbestos is a fibrous mineral with thermal and chemical resistance, flexibility, and high tensile strength properties. Although its use has been reduced since the 1970's, today asbestos is still present in many common household items and old buildings.
Due to its unmatched engineering and commercial performance, asbestos has found widespread use in many applications. Due to its thermal resistant qualities, asbestos has been used as a frictional material in break pads.
It has also been used in specialized products such as gaskets, pads, fabric sheets, and asbestos paper due to the length and pliability of its fibers.
Asbestos is classified into many different types, which include; chrysotile (white asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos), amosite (brown asbestos), tremolite, anthopyllite, and actinolite.
However, only chrysolite is the most widely used asbestos type in the United States. Other asbestos types used commercially are crocidolite and amosite, but in a limited capacity. Tremolite, anthopyllite, and actinolite are the most abundant, but they have been used primarily as contaminants of other minerals, such as chrysotile, verniculite, and talc.
Products that may contain Asbestos
Acustical Plaster
Acoustic Finishes
Adhesives
Agricultural Filler
Air Cell Pipecovering
Asbestos Gloves
Asbestos Cord
Asbestos Canvas
Asbestos Curtains
Asbestos Felt
Asbestos Flatboard
Asbestos Lap
Asbestos Millboard
Asbestos Mineral Wool
Asbestos Pads
Asbestos Panel
Asbestos Packing
Asbestos Roalboard
Asbestos Seals
Asbestos Rope
Asbestos Tiles
Asbestos Tape
Asbestos Wick
Asbestos Yarn
Attic Insulation
Automotive Breaks
Automotive Clutches
Automotive Hoodliners
Boiler Insulation
Boiler Wall Coat
Blown-in Insulation
Bonding Cement
Caulking
Ceiling Tiles
Cement Pipes |
Mitts
Navy Sealer
Decorative Plaster
Duct Tape
Ductwork Connectors
Duplex block
Duplex pipecovering
Dry Mix Joint Compound
Ehret Block
Ehret Pipecovering
Ehret Products
Electrical Cloth
Electrical Panel Partitions
Electric Wiring Insulation
Elevator Brake Shoes
Emulsion Adhesive
Expansion Joint
Fertilizers
Firebrick
Firefoil Board
Firefoil Panel
Fireproofing Materials
Flex Board
Flexible Duct Connectors
Flooring Backing
Fire Blankets
Pipe Insulation
Pipe Covering
Pumps
Putties
Fire Curtains
Fire Dampers
Fire Doors
Fume Hoods
Furnace Cement |
Gasket Material
Generators
Glassbestos
Glassblower Mitts
Gold Bond Adhesive
G.B. Asbestos Paper
G.B. Asbestos Sheets
Gold Bond Cement
Gold Bond Perfo-Lyte
Gold Bond Plaster
Gold Bond Products
Gold Bond Spackle Paster
Gold bond Tar Paper
Gunning Mix
Hair Dryers
Heating Ducts
Heat Guard
Heat Seal
Insulation Coating
Insulation Duct
Insulation Jacketing
Insulating Mix
Insulation Seal
Iron Rests
Joint Compounds
Laboratory Gloves
Laboratory Hoods
Machine Room Ducts
Machine Room Ceillings
Machine Room Floors
Machine Room Walles
Marine Panels
Masonry Fill
Metal Mesh Blanket
Mittens |
Packing Materials
Paint
Patching Fiber
Patching Plaster
Potting Mixtures
Popcorn Popers
Permaboard
Rope
Rope Packing
Roofing Felt
Roofing Shingles
Sheet Packing
Sheet Rope
Sheetrock
Spackle Paster
Spackling Compounds
Spray Fireproofing
Stone Corrugated Sheets
Stone Sheathing
Stove Mats
Taping Compounds
Textile Garments
Textile Cloths
Textured Paints
Textured Coatings
Thernal Paper Products
Thermal Spray
Turbines
Valve Rings
Valve Stem Packing
Valves
Vermiculite Compounds
Vinyl Floor Tile
Vinyl Wallpaper
Welding Blankets |
Occupations that may deal with Asbestos
Insulators |
Pipe Fitters |
Plumbers |
Electricians |
Painters |
Plasters |
Crane Operators |
Floor Coverers |
Pot Tenders |
Welders |
Paper Mill Workers |
Custodians |
Steam Fitters |
Tile Setters |
Aerospace |
Mechanic |
Building Engineers |
Demolition Crews |
Former US Navy Personnel |
Packing/Gasket Manufactorin Workers |
Protective Clothing Manufactoring |
Rubber Worker |
Warehouse Worker |
Home Improvement |
Hospital |
Schools |
Loading Docks |
Glass Factory Worker |
Building Inspectors |
Bulldozer Operator |
Manufacturing Workers |
Excavating machine operators |
Heavy Equipment Mechanics |
Job and Die setters |
Contractors |
Building Managers |
Mixing Operatives |
Laborers |
Sawyers |
Teachers |
Tinsmiths |
Weavers |
Hod Carriers |
Excavators |
Technicians |
Since its discovery, asbestos has found widespread use in part due to its unmatched engineering and commercial performance. Due to its thermal resistant qualities, asbestos has been used as a frictional material in break pads. It has also been used in specialized products such as gaskets, pads, fabric sheets, and asbestos paper due to the length and pliability of its fibers. Mixed into a slurry, asbestos has been applied to building surfaces for fire protection and heat retention, such as in furnaces and kilns. As a fortifying additive, which is it's major present day use, asbestos is a component of cement, concrete, paint, vinyl, and tar mixtures, accounting for 70% of current applications worldwide. |
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