Flintkote Company Roof Coating
Product Description
The Flintkote Company manufactured roof coating products for several decades spanning the post-World War II construction boom through the early 1980s. Produced from approximately 1945 through 1982, these roof coatings were applied to commercial, industrial, and institutional roofing systems as protective and waterproofing treatments. Flintkote was a major presence in the American building materials market throughout this period, supplying a wide range of roofing and construction products to contractors and industrial facilities across the United States.
Roof coatings of this type served multiple functions in commercial and industrial construction. They were applied over existing roofing substrates to seal surfaces against moisture intrusion, reflect solar heat, extend the service life of underlying roofing materials, and provide a protective layer against weathering. Given the scale of industrial and commercial construction during the postwar decades, these coatings were applied extensively across manufacturing plants, warehouses, schools, hospitals, and government buildings. The product line remained in production until 1982, meaning that workers who applied or disturbed these coatings over the course of many years faced potential asbestos exposure well into the modern era.
Asbestos Content
Flintkote’s roof coating products manufactured during the 1945–1982 production window contained chrysotile asbestos as a functional ingredient. Chrysotile, sometimes called white asbestos, is the most widely used form of asbestos commercially and belongs to the serpentine mineral group. Its fiber structure made it well suited for incorporation into coating and mastic products, where it functioned as a reinforcing agent, provided thixotropic properties that improved application characteristics, enhanced adhesion to roofing surfaces, and contributed to the fire-resistant qualities that made asbestos-containing products attractive to builders and code authorities of the era.
In liquid roofing coatings and mastics, chrysotile fibers were blended into bituminous or solvent-based carrier systems. When these products were in their manufactured, undisturbed state, the fibers were bound within the coating matrix. However, during application, weathering, and any subsequent disturbance or removal, those fibers could be released into the air in respirable form. Chrysotile asbestos has been classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and is regulated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under multiple statutory frameworks, including the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).
How Workers Were Exposed
Industrial workers and others involved in the application, maintenance, and removal of Flintkote roof coating products faced asbestos exposure through several occupational pathways. While industrial workers generally constitute the primary documented exposure group associated with this product, the nature of roof coating work meant that exposures could occur in a variety of settings and job functions.
Workers who applied the coating product directly were exposed during the mixing and preparation process, when dry or semi-dry coating material was agitated or blended, potentially releasing asbestos fibers into the breathing zone. During brush, roller, or spray application, coating products could generate aerosols or mist containing asbestos fibers, particularly in spray application scenarios where fine particulate matter was a recognized hazard.
Maintenance and repair workers who returned to coated roof surfaces to apply additional layers, patch deteriorating areas, or conduct inspections encountered weathered and aged coating material. Over time, the binder matrix of an asbestos-containing coating could become friable through UV degradation, thermal cycling, and physical wear, increasing the likelihood that disturbance would release fibers. Workers who swept, scraped, or pressure-washed coated surfaces were at particular risk during these maintenance activities.
Industrial facility workers who labored in buildings with coated roofs also faced potential bystander exposure when ceiling or roof assemblies were disturbed during renovation, repair, or demolition work. OSHA regulations governing asbestos exposure, including 29 C.F.R. § 1910.1001 for general industry and 29 C.F.R. § 1926.1101 for construction, establish permissible exposure limits and requirements for asbestos-containing materials in the workplace that reflect the recognized hazard these products posed to workers before adequate protections were in place.
The diseases most commonly associated with occupational asbestos exposure from products of this type include mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the pleural and peritoneal linings; lung cancer; asbestosis, a progressive scarring of lung tissue; and other pleural diseases. These conditions typically have long latency periods, often emerging decades after the initial exposure, which means workers exposed to Flintkote roof coatings during the product’s production years may only now be receiving diagnoses.
Documented Trust Fund / Legal Options
There is no active asbestos trust fund associated with the Flintkote Company through which claims can be filed directly against a dedicated compensation pool for this specific product. The Flintkote Company underwent complex bankruptcy proceedings, and individuals seeking compensation for asbestos-related disease attributed to Flintkote products have pursued their claims through civil litigation in the tort system rather than through a trust fund claims process.
Litigation records document claims filed by industrial workers and others who alleged asbestos exposure from Flintkote roof coating and related products. Plaintiffs alleged that the Flintkote Company knew or should have known about the hazards associated with asbestos-containing products during the years these roof coatings were manufactured and sold, and that the company failed to adequately warn workers of those risks or take steps to reduce exposure.
Individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or related diseases who have a documented occupational history involving Flintkote roof coating products should consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation. Legal counsel can evaluate the specifics of an individual’s exposure history, medical diagnosis, and the applicable statutes of limitations in their jurisdiction. In multi-defendant asbestos litigation, plaintiffs may identify multiple responsible parties beyond a single manufacturer, including other product manufacturers, distributors, and premises owners whose negligence contributed to the overall exposure.
Surviving family members of workers who have died from asbestos-related diseases may also have standing to bring wrongful death claims. Because statutes of limitations for asbestos claims vary by state and begin to run at different trigger points depending on jurisdiction, prompt consultation with qualified legal counsel is important for anyone who believes their illness or a family member’s illness is connected to occupational asbestos exposure from Flintkote roof coating or any other asbestos-containing product.
Workers and their families seeking more information about legal options related to asbestos exposure from roofing products, including the Flintkote Company’s roof coatings, can contact an asbestos attorney for a no-cost case evaluation.