Atlas Brakes No. 660 Cement: Product Reference

Product Description

Atlas Brakes No. 660 Cement was an industrial adhesive and bonding cement manufactured by Atlas Brakes from 1948 through 1962. Despite the manufacturer’s primary association with friction and braking components, the No. 660 Cement was formulated and marketed for use in pipe insulation applications and related industrial settings. Products of this type were commonly used during the mid-twentieth century to bond, seal, or finish insulating materials applied to pipes, fittings, and other thermal systems found throughout industrial facilities.

The postwar industrial expansion in the United States created significant demand for pipe insulation cements and related bonding compounds. Manufacturers across multiple industries incorporated asbestos-containing cements into their product lines during this period, capitalizing on asbestos’s well-known heat resistance, adhesive properties, and low material cost. Atlas Brakes No. 660 Cement was one such product, produced during a period when asbestos use in industrial compounds was widespread and largely unregulated.

The product was in production during a fourteen-year window, from 1948 to 1962, placing it squarely within the era of peak industrial asbestos use in the United States. Workers who handled or worked near this product during its production years may have sustained asbestos exposure with potential long-term health consequences.

Asbestos Content

Atlas Brakes No. 660 Cement contained chrysotile asbestos, the most commonly used form of asbestos in commercial and industrial products throughout the twentieth century. Chrysotile, sometimes referred to as white asbestos, is a serpentine mineral fiber that was prized in cement and adhesive formulations for its tensile strength, flexibility, and thermal resistance.

In pipe insulation cements, chrysotile fibers were typically blended into the base compound to improve structural cohesion, resistance to cracking under thermal cycling, and overall durability. When such cements were mixed, applied, cut, sanded, or disturbed during installation or removal, the chrysotile fibers could be released into the surrounding air as respirable dust.

Chrysotile asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and is regulated under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. OSHA’s asbestos standards, codified at 29 C.F.R. § 1910.1001 (general industry) and 29 C.F.R. § 1926.1101 (construction), establish permissible exposure limits and mandatory safety protocols for asbestos-containing materials. The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) further established regulatory frameworks for identifying and managing asbestos-containing materials in buildings and industrial environments.

How Workers Were Exposed

Litigation records document that industrial workers were the primary population exposed to Atlas Brakes No. 660 Cement during its years of production and use. Pipe insulation cement products of this type were employed across a broad range of industrial environments, including manufacturing plants, refineries, power generation facilities, shipyards, and processing facilities where insulated pipe systems were a fundamental component of operations.

Workers in these environments encountered the No. 660 Cement at multiple stages. During mixing, dry components—including the chrysotile asbestos content—could generate airborne dust in enclosed or poorly ventilated work areas. Application of the cement to pipe surfaces required direct handling of the material, and finishing work such as smoothing, shaping, or trimming cured cement could release additional fiber-laden dust into the breathing zone of workers nearby.

Plaintiffs alleged that exposure did not require direct, hands-on use of the product. Industrial facilities often operated in close quarters, meaning that workers performing other tasks in the vicinity of pipe insulation work could inhale asbestos fibers released by colleagues applying or finishing No. 660 Cement. This type of secondary or bystander exposure has been extensively documented in litigation involving pipe insulation products from this era.

Plaintiffs further alleged that during the product’s years of manufacture, from 1948 through 1962, the hazards associated with inhaled asbestos fibers were known or knowable to manufacturers through the existing scientific and medical literature of the period. Despite this, litigation records document allegations that workers were not provided with adequate warnings about the health risks associated with asbestos-containing cements, nor were they supplied with appropriate respiratory protection or other safety measures to mitigate fiber inhalation.

The diseases most commonly associated with occupational asbestos exposure include mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen; asbestosis, a progressive fibrotic lung disease; lung cancer; and other asbestos-related pleural conditions. The latency period for these diseases typically spans decades, meaning that workers exposed to No. 660 Cement during its production window of 1948–1962 may not have developed symptoms until many years or decades later.

Documented Trust Fund / Legal Options

Atlas Brakes No. 660 Cement is classified as a Tier 2 — Litigated product. There is no established asbestos bankruptcy trust fund associated with Atlas Brakes that covers claims related to the No. 660 Cement. Individuals seeking legal recourse for asbestos-related illness connected to this product must pursue recovery through the civil litigation system rather than through a trust fund claims process.

Litigation records document that individuals who sustained asbestos-related illness from industrial pipe insulation cements during this era have filed claims against manufacturers in state and federal courts. Plaintiffs alleged product liability, failure to warn, and negligence in cases involving similar asbestos-containing cement products from the same period. These cases have proceeded under various legal theories depending on the jurisdiction, the nature of the exposure, and the specific circumstances of each plaintiff’s employment history.

Workers and surviving family members who believe they may have been exposed to Atlas Brakes No. 660 Cement should take the following steps when evaluating their legal options:

  • Document employment history: Records of employment at facilities where No. 660 Cement was used, including dates, job titles, and descriptions of work performed, are essential to establishing exposure in litigation.
  • Obtain medical records: A confirmed diagnosis of mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or related asbestos disease is typically required to pursue a claim. Diagnostic records from treating physicians and specialists should be preserved.
  • Consult an asbestos attorney: Attorneys who specialize in asbestos litigation can evaluate whether a civil claim is viable, identify the appropriate defendants, and navigate jurisdiction-specific statutes of limitations that may affect eligibility to file.
  • Explore multi-defendant claims: Because workers in industrial settings were often exposed to asbestos-containing products from multiple manufacturers simultaneously, litigation may involve claims against several defendants in addition to claims related to No. 660 Cement specifically.

Statutes of limitations for asbestos-related claims vary by state and typically begin running from the date of diagnosis rather than the date of exposure. Individuals should consult with qualified legal counsel as soon as possible following diagnosis to preserve their legal rights.

This article is provided for informational and reference purposes. It does not constitute legal or medical advice. Individuals seeking guidance regarding asbestos exposure or related illness should consult a qualified attorney or medical professional.