Uses of Asbestos, Asbestos Uses

pipe and duct insulation
building insulation
wall and ceiling panels

Uses of asbestos include a wide range of products, primarily for heat and sound insulation, roofing and flooring. Some of the most common asbestos uses were:

roofing materials
patching and spackling compound
brake pads and lining
cements
toasters and other heat-related household items
floor tiles
furnaces and furnace doors

The most common persons afflicted with asbestos-related diseases, such as malignant mesothelioma, are construction workers, automobile mechanics, pipe fitters and ship builders.

Some uses of asbestos have been banned. Spraying of asbestos materials was banned in 1973. Certain pipe coverings, patching compounds, and artificial fireplace logs were banned in the mid 1970s. In 1979, sprayed-on asbestos decorations and asbestos-containing hairdryers were banned.

Who Is at Risk?

Anyone at risk of asbestos exposure is at risk of becoming ill. In fact, no safe level of minimum exposure has ever been established for asbestos. Many of the first cases with the diagnosis of mesothelioma were persons who never directly handled asbestos as part of their jobs. An early case in South Africa occurred in a young girl whose job it was to empty the pockets of miners before dry cleaning their clothes. The asbestos dust in the miners' pockets made her fatally ill.

Continued: The Shipyard Connection

[Page updated May 2006]