Asbestos finishing cement

Contained at least 20 percent asbestos – a carcinogen that has killed thousands of unsuspecting construction workers

June 17, 2010 – Asbestos finishing cement was used in the construction industry throughout the 20th century in the application of asbestos siding and asbestos roofing shingles.

Today asbestos is widely recognized as a toxic material that has caused fatal illnesses in thousands of U.S. construction workers. But 30 years ago and earlier (before the enactment of federal and state health safety regulations) the addition of asbestos to finishing cement helped create a durable building product that could easily be applied to walls and roofs.

Dangers of asbestos finishing cement

Before the 1970s, cement plant workers were at a great risk for developing fatal asbestos-related diseases (such as lung cancer, asbestosis or mesothelioma). Regular exposure to powdered asbestos ingredients will lead to asbestos exposure. That occurs when workers producing asbestos finishing cement accidentally inhale airborne asbestos fibers in confined work-site areas.

Even today, asbestos finishing cement products pose serious health risks. Construction workers, especially day laborers, involved in renovation or demolition work risk asbestos exposure when they disturb or damage asbestos finishing cement products inside old buildings.

History of asbestos finishing cement

By law, before renovation or demolition work proceeds, asbestos abatement contractors must remove the toxic material.

In 1977, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in asbestos finishing cement and most other construction materials. However, as the ban applied only to the manufacturing of new supplies, existing stocks of asbestos finishing cement, and other tainted building products, continued to be used through the mid-1980s.

Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C.

Mesothelioma is a preventable cancer that is primarily caused by the negligence of employers and asbestos product manufacturers who deliberately overlooked work-site health safety to reduce expenses and boost profits.

Weitz & Luxenberg is a legal force in the asbestos litigation field, having obtained record-setting verdicts and settlements for American workers injured by occupational asbestos exposure.

If you once worked with asbestos finishing cement, or any other asbestos-based construction products, and you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, we urge you to fill out the questionnaire on this page for a free legal consultation and case review, with no obligation. It is a free opportunity to receive information you need to make informed decisions during this difficult time.

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