Asbestone Roofing

Manufacturer: National Gypsum Co. Product Category: Roofing Products Years Produced: 1954–1981 Asbestos Type: Chrysotile asbestos Legal Tier: Tier 2 — Litigated

Product Description

Asbestone Roofing was a roofing product manufactured by National Gypsum Co. and sold under that trade name from approximately 1954 through 1981. National Gypsum Co. was a major building materials company that produced a wide range of construction products throughout the mid-twentieth century, and Asbestone was among the asbestos-containing lines it brought to the commercial and industrial construction marketplace.

Roofing products of this type were commonly used in industrial, commercial, and residential construction throughout the postwar building boom. The inclusion of asbestos in roofing materials was standard industry practice during this era, as asbestos fibers were valued for their resistance to heat, fire, weathering, and mechanical stress. Asbestone Roofing was marketed and installed across a broad range of building types, meaning it was widely present in the built environment well into the decades when asbestos hazards became publicly recognized.

National Gypsum Co. eventually faced substantial asbestos-related litigation stemming from multiple product lines, including its roofing products. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in 1990, and a successor trust structure was established to manage asbestos liability. However, Asbestone Roofing specifically falls under Tier 2 litigation status, meaning claims related to this product are pursued through the civil court system rather than through a pre-established trust fund claims process.

Asbestos Content

Asbestone Roofing contained chrysotile asbestos, the most commonly used asbestos fiber type in American building products of the twentieth century. Chrysotile, sometimes called “white asbestos,” is a serpentine mineral fiber that was incorporated into roofing materials for several functional reasons: it reinforced the structural integrity of roofing sheets and tiles, improved resistance to fire and extreme heat, and extended the weathering life of the finished product.

In roofing applications, chrysotile fibers were typically mixed into a matrix of bitumen, felt, or cementitious materials. This manufacturing process bound the fibers into the product during installation, but that bound state did not permanently prevent fiber release. Cutting, nailing, breaking, sanding, weathering, and demolition of asbestos-containing roofing materials could all liberate respirable chrysotile fibers into the surrounding air.

Chrysotile asbestos is recognized as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the U.S. National Toxicology Program, and regulatory agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Inhalation of chrysotile fibers is associated with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other serious respiratory diseases. OSHA’s current permissible exposure limit (PEL) for asbestos is 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air as an eight-hour time-weighted average, reflecting the serious hazard posed even by low-level exposures.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers were the primary occupational group documented as being exposed to Asbestone Roofing during its production years. Exposure could occur at multiple points across the product’s lifecycle, from manufacturing through installation, maintenance, and eventual demolition or removal.

Manufacturing exposure occurred for workers at National Gypsum Co. production facilities who handled raw chrysotile fiber, mixed asbestos-containing compounds, cut and shaped roofing materials, or worked in areas where airborne fiber levels were elevated by nearby production processes.

Installation and construction exposure affected workers involved in applying Asbestone Roofing to structures. Cutting roofing sheets or tiles to fit a job site — using saws, snips, or scoring tools — generated dust containing respirable chrysotile fibers. Nailing or fastening the product could also fracture or abrade material edges, releasing fibers. Workers on roofing crews, particularly those engaged in repetitive cutting tasks, faced the highest concentrations of exposure during installation.

Maintenance and repair exposure affected industrial workers called upon to patch, replace, or otherwise service existing Asbestone Roofing installations. Roofing that had aged, cracked, or been damaged by weather was more friable than freshly installed material, meaning it could shed fibers more readily under handling or disturbance.

Demolition and removal exposure represents one of the most significant pathways for chrysotile release. Workers tasked with tearing off old roofing, breaking up asbestos-containing roofing materials, or preparing structures for renovation disturbed previously stable product in ways that generated substantial airborne fiber concentrations. Under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and OSHA’s asbestos standards, roofing materials containing more than one percent asbestos are regulated as asbestos-containing materials requiring proper abatement procedures — a recognition that disturbance-related exposure is a genuine and documented hazard.

Workers in adjacent trades who were present on job sites where Asbestone Roofing was being installed, repaired, or removed — even if they were not directly handling the product — could also have experienced secondary or bystander exposure through shared air space on active work sites.

Asbestone Roofing carries Tier 2 — Litigated status, meaning there is no dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund through which claimants can file for compensation specifically related to this product. Claims involving Asbestone Roofing are addressed through civil litigation.

Litigation records document that National Gypsum Co. faced extensive asbestos-related lawsuits prior to and during its 1990 bankruptcy filing. Plaintiffs alleged that National Gypsum Co. manufactured, marketed, and sold asbestos-containing products including roofing materials while knowing or having reason to know of the health hazards posed by asbestos fiber exposure, and that the company failed to provide adequate warnings to workers and end users.

Plaintiffs alleged injuries including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis as a direct result of occupational exposure to chrysotile fibers released from National Gypsum Co. products. Litigation records document claims brought by industrial workers, construction tradespeople, and in some cases family members of workers who experienced secondary household exposure through contaminated clothing and equipment.

For individuals who were exposed to Asbestone Roofing and have since received a diagnosis of mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, the available legal pathway is a civil tort claim filed against responsible parties. Relevant defendants in such litigation may include National Gypsum’s successor entities, distributors, contractors, or premises owners, depending on the specific circumstances of exposure.

Key considerations for potential claimants include:

  • Statute of limitations: Deadlines for filing asbestos claims vary by state and typically begin running from the date of diagnosis rather than the date of exposure. Prompt consultation with an asbestos attorney is essential.
  • Documentation: Work history records, co-worker testimony, invoices, contractor records, or product identification at job sites can help establish product identification and exposure.
  • Medical records: A documented diagnosis from a qualified physician is a foundational element of any asbestos disease claim.
  • Legal counsel: Attorneys who specialize in asbestos litigation can evaluate the specific facts of an exposure history and advise on the appropriate legal strategy, including whether any other trust funds may apply if multiple products or manufacturers were involved.

Individuals with questions about potential exposure to Asbestone Roofing or other National Gypsum Co. products are encouraged to consult with a qualified asbestos litigation attorney to understand their rights and options under applicable state law.