Quigley Waterproof Cement

Product Description

Quigley Waterproof Cement was a specialized industrial construction and insulation material manufactured by Quigley Company, Inc., a New York-based firm that produced a broad range of refractory and insulating products throughout much of the twentieth century. The product was formulated to provide durable, moisture-resistant bonding and sealing in high-temperature industrial environments, and it found widespread application across two overlapping product categories: pipe insulation systems and refractory installations.

As a pipe-insulation product, Quigley Waterproof Cement was used to coat, seal, and finish insulated piping systems in industrial facilities, including power generation plants, chemical processing plants, petroleum refineries, and shipyards. As a refractory material, it was applied to furnaces, boilers, kilns, and other high-heat equipment where thermal resistance and moisture protection were simultaneously required. The cement was typically sold in bulk quantities and applied by skilled tradespeople who mixed, troweled, or sprayed the material onto surfaces as part of larger insulation and fireproofing systems.

Quigley Company, Inc. produced a wide range of asbestos-containing products under various trade names and formulations during its operational years. Waterproof Cement represented one product within that larger catalog, marketed to industrial buyers who needed reliable bonding materials capable of withstanding both thermal stress and moisture intrusion. The product was commonly used alongside other Quigley insulation products, meaning workers on industrial job sites frequently encountered multiple asbestos-containing Quigley materials during the same project or work shift.

Asbestos Content

Litigation records document that Quigley Waterproof Cement contained asbestos as a functional component of its formulation. Asbestos fibers were incorporated into cement-type insulation and refractory products of this era because they significantly enhanced tensile strength, improved resistance to cracking under thermal cycling, and provided the fire-resistant and heat-insulating properties that industrial buyers required. Without asbestos reinforcement, cementitious products of this type were prone to cracking, shrinkage, and structural failure when subjected to the extreme temperature differentials common in industrial settings.

Plaintiffs alleged in litigation that Quigley was aware, or should have been aware, that the asbestos fibers contained in its Waterproof Cement product posed a serious health hazard to those who manufactured, applied, disturbed, or worked in close proximity to the material. The specific fiber types used in refractory and insulation cements of this period typically included chrysotile and, in some formulations, amphibole varieties such as amosite, though the precise formulation of Quigley Waterproof Cement in any given production run is a matter addressed through product identification evidence in individual legal proceedings.

Like other asbestos-containing cements and refractory products of the mid-twentieth century, Quigley Waterproof Cement did not carry adequate warnings about the health risks associated with asbestos fiber release during normal use. Plaintiffs alleged that this failure to warn constituted a significant breach of the duty of care owed to the industrial workers who routinely handled the product.

How Workers Were Exposed

Workers who applied, mixed, removed, or worked in the vicinity of Quigley Waterproof Cement faced potential asbestos fiber exposure through several distinct pathways, all of which are documented in litigation records involving this and similar refractory and insulation cement products.

Mixing and application: When Waterproof Cement was prepared for use—whether mixed from a dry powder or applied from a pre-mixed state—the handling process generated dust containing asbestos fibers. Workers who mixed the material by hand or with mechanical equipment, or who troweled and smoothed it onto pipe surfaces or refractory installations, worked in direct contact with a fiber-releasing product, often in enclosed or poorly ventilated industrial spaces.

Cutting, grinding, and finishing: Once applied and cured, Waterproof Cement that required shaping, trimming, or surface finishing could release significant quantities of airborne asbestos fibers. Industrial workers who used hand tools or power equipment to cut or abrade cured cement surfaces were exposed to concentrated fiber releases with little or no respiratory protection available during the product’s primary years of use.

Removal and maintenance operations: Industrial maintenance and renovation work required the periodic removal and replacement of pipe insulation systems and refractory linings. When workers broke away, chipped, or demolished installations containing Quigley Waterproof Cement, the disturbance of aged and friable material could release substantial quantities of asbestos fibers into the work environment. Maintenance workers, insulators, boilermakers, and pipefitters engaged in this type of work faced repeated exposure over the course of long industrial careers.

Bystander and general industrial exposure: Litigation records document that exposure was not limited to those directly applying or removing the product. Other tradespeople working in the same area—electricians, machinists, operators, and general laborers—could be exposed to asbestos fibers that became airborne during nearby cement work or that settled on surfaces and were subsequently disturbed by ordinary industrial activity. Industrial workers generally, across a wide range of job classifications, have been identified in litigation as individuals potentially exposed to asbestos-containing products including Quigley Waterproof Cement.

The diseases associated with occupational asbestos exposure, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related conditions, can have latency periods of twenty to fifty years between initial exposure and clinical diagnosis. This means that workers exposed to Quigley Waterproof Cement during the product’s most active decades of use may be receiving diagnoses today.

Quigley Company, Inc. faced substantial asbestos litigation arising from its catalog of asbestos-containing products, including Waterproof Cement. Litigation records document that plaintiffs filed claims against Quigley alleging that the company’s products caused serious asbestos-related illnesses and that Quigley failed to provide adequate warnings regarding the hazards of asbestos fiber exposure.

Quigley Company, Inc. ultimately filed for bankruptcy reorganization under Chapter 11 as a result of its asbestos liability, and proceedings related to the establishment of an asbestos claims resolution structure were pursued through the federal bankruptcy courts. Individuals seeking compensation related to Quigley products should consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation to determine the current status of any claims resolution structure, the applicable eligibility criteria, and the documentation required to establish product identification and disease causation.

For individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or related conditions who believe their illness may be connected to work with or around Quigley Waterproof Cement, the following general steps apply:

  • Document your work history as specifically as possible, including job sites, employers, approximate dates, and the types of products used or present at each location.
  • Preserve medical records confirming your diagnosis, including pathology reports and imaging studies.
  • Consult an asbestos litigation attorney who can evaluate your exposure history against current legal options, which may include participation in any established claims resolution process, litigation against solvent defendants, or pursuit of claims through other asbestos bankruptcy trust funds for co-exposure products.

Statutes of limitations apply to asbestos claims and vary by state. Workers and surviving family members are strongly encouraged to seek legal counsel promptly following an asbestos-related diagnosis. An experienced attorney can identify all potentially responsible parties based on a full occupational exposure history, which often encompasses multiple manufacturers and product types beyond any single product.