BOF Cote / BOF Patch / Anti-Erode Castable by Narco

Product Description

BOF Cote, BOF Patch, and Anti-Erode Castable were refractory products manufactured by Narco (National Refractories and Minerals Corporation) and produced between approximately 1963 and 1977. These products were engineered specifically for use in basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking operations, a process that became the dominant method of steel production in the United States during this era. Basic oxygen furnaces operate at extraordinarily high temperatures, subjecting their internal linings to severe thermal and mechanical stress. Refractory materials such as these were formulated to resist that stress, protecting the structural integrity of the furnace vessel and extending operational life between scheduled relining shutdowns.

BOF Cote and BOF Patch were applied as protective coatings and patching compounds to repair worn or damaged areas of furnace linings without requiring full relines. Anti-Erode Castable, as its name suggests, was a castable refractory material specifically designed to resist the erosive forces generated by molten steel, slag, and the intense oxygen-blowing process at the core of BOF steelmaking. Together, these three product lines served complementary roles in maintaining furnace performance during a period when American steel production was near its peak. Narco supplied refractory materials to steel mills, foundries, and heavy industrial facilities across the country, making these products a routine presence in high-temperature industrial environments throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Asbestos Content

All three products—BOF Cote, BOF Patch, and Anti-Erode Castable—contained chrysotile asbestos as a formulation component. Chrysotile, sometimes referred to as white asbestos, is the most widely used form of asbestos in industrial applications and belongs to the serpentine mineral group. Its fine, flexible fibers provided refractory formulations with enhanced thermal stability, resistance to cracking under thermal cycling, and improved bonding characteristics in high-heat environments.

In refractory applications like these, chrysotile asbestos was typically blended with other refractory aggregates, binders, and mineral components. The asbestos content contributed to the material’s ability to withstand the punishing conditions inside a basic oxygen furnace, where temperatures routinely exceed 1,600 degrees Celsius. While chrysotile’s fiber structure differs from the amphibole asbestos varieties in certain respects, regulatory and medical authorities, including those overseeing OSHA standards and AHERA implementation, classify all commercial asbestos fiber types as hazardous carcinogens. Chrysotile has been associated in occupational health literature with asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, particularly following prolonged or repeated inhalation exposure.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers employed in steel mills, foundries, and other facilities where BOF Cote, BOF Patch, and Anti-Erode Castable were used faced potential asbestos exposure through multiple routes during the products’ service life.

Mixing and Preparation: Anti-Erode Castable and similar formulations required on-site mixing with water or bonding agents before application. Workers who measured, poured, and mixed the dry castable material could disturb settled asbestos-containing dust, releasing respirable fibers into the breathing zone. In enclosed or poorly ventilated utility areas near furnace operations, fiber concentrations could accumulate rapidly.

Application: Applying BOF Cote and BOF Patch to furnace walls, trunnions, and other worn surfaces required direct handling of asbestos-containing material. Spray application, troweling, or gunning these products generated airborne particulate containing chrysotile fibers. Workers performing these tasks—whether Narco employees, steel mill maintenance personnel, or contracted refractory crews—worked in close proximity to the material throughout application.

Mechanical Disturbance During Furnace Maintenance: Refractory linings deteriorate over time under the stress of furnace operation, and routine maintenance required chipping, scarfing, or breaking out spent lining material before fresh refractory could be applied. These removal activities on previously applied asbestos-containing products were among the highest-exposure tasks, generating substantial quantities of fine dust containing both asbestos fibers and other breakdown products.

Ambient Exposure in the Mill Environment: Workers who were not directly involved in refractory application or maintenance—but who worked in the same building or general production area—could also be exposed to asbestos fibers carried through the air from adjacent work zones. In large steel mill bays where multiple operations occurred simultaneously, bystander exposure to refractory-related asbestos dust was a documented concern.

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, with an excursion limit of 1.0 f/cc over any thirty-minute period. Industrial hygiene data from the era in which these products were manufactured and applied routinely documented fiber concentrations that would far exceed those modern standards, often without the benefit of respiratory protection or engineering controls that later became mandatory.

There is no established asbestos bankruptcy trust fund associated with Narco or its BOF Cote, BOF Patch, or Anti-Erode Castable product lines. Individuals seeking compensation for asbestos-related illness attributed to exposure to these products must pursue recovery through the civil litigation system rather than through a trust fund claims process.

Litigation records document that plaintiffs have brought claims against Narco and related corporate entities in connection with asbestos-containing refractory products. Plaintiffs alleged that exposure to chrysotile asbestos in Narco’s refractory formulations caused or contributed to serious asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Plaintiffs further alleged that the manufacturer knew or had reason to know of the hazards associated with asbestos fiber inhalation and failed to adequately warn workers or provide sufficient instructions for safe handling.

Litigation records also document claims brought under theories of strict product liability, negligence, and failure to warn. In cases involving steel mill and industrial refractory exposure, co-defendants have frequently included other refractory manufacturers, raw asbestos suppliers, and premises owners responsible for the facilities where the products were used.

Individuals who may have been exposed to BOF Cote, BOF Patch, or Anti-Erode Castable and who have received a diagnosis of mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related condition should consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation. Because statutes of limitations govern the time within which claims must be filed—and those deadlines vary by state and typically run from the date of diagnosis rather than the date of exposure—prompt legal consultation is advisable. Employment records, union documentation, Social Security work histories, and co-worker testimony can all serve as evidence in establishing occupational exposure to specific asbestos-containing products in civil litigation proceedings.