Flintkote Company Asbestos Roofing Shingles (1950–1974)

Product Description

Flintkote Company was a major American building materials manufacturer whose product line spanned roofing, flooring, insulation, and construction compounds throughout much of the twentieth century. Among its most widely distributed products were asbestos-containing roofing shingles manufactured and sold from approximately 1950 through 1974. These shingles were marketed for both residential and commercial applications, promoted as durable, fire-resistant, and weather-resistant alternatives to wood or slate roofing materials.

Flintkote’s roofing shingles were produced during a period when asbestos was considered a premium additive in construction materials. The company operated manufacturing facilities at multiple locations in the United States, supplying roofing products to regional distributors, contractors, and building supply retailers across the country. During the postwar construction boom of the 1950s and 1960s, demand for low-maintenance, fire-resistant roofing materials was high, and asbestos-reinforced shingles were widely specified in both new construction and re-roofing projects.

Production of these shingles continued through the early 1970s, when growing regulatory scrutiny and emerging scientific consensus on asbestos hazards began reshaping the construction materials industry. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration both moved during this period to impose controls on asbestos in the workplace and in building materials, contributing to the eventual discontinuation of asbestos-containing roofing products across the industry.

Asbestos Content

Flintkote’s roofing shingles from this production period contained chrysotile asbestos, the most commercially common form of asbestos used in building materials during the mid-twentieth century. Chrysotile, also known as white asbestos, belongs to the serpentine mineral family and was valued in roofing applications for its tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to heat and weathering.

In roofing shingles, chrysotile was typically integrated into a matrix of felt, fiber, or cement substrate to reinforce the shingle body and extend its service life. The asbestos fibers were bound within the shingle material during manufacturing, but litigation records document that this binding could be compromised under conditions of mechanical stress, cutting, weathering, or demolition—releasing respirable fibers into the surrounding air.

Chrysotile asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Regulatory agencies including OSHA and the EPA have established that no safe level of asbestos exposure has been identified. The fiber type’s relatively fine diameter allows inhaled fibers to penetrate deeply into lung tissue, where they may remain and contribute to the development of serious respiratory diseases over a latency period typically measured in decades.

How Workers Were Exposed

Exposure to asbestos fibers from Flintkote roofing shingles was documented primarily among industrial workers and tradespeople involved in the manufacture, handling, installation, and removal of these products.

During manufacturing, workers at Flintkote production facilities mixed, pressed, and processed raw asbestos-containing materials. Litigation records document that workers in these environments faced sustained exposure to airborne chrysotile dust generated during raw material handling and shingle fabrication. Industrial hygiene standards and dust control measures at many facilities during the 1950s and 1960s are now recognized as inadequate by modern occupational health standards.

During installation, roofers and construction laborers who handled Flintkote shingles risked fiber release when shingles were cut, nailed, trimmed, or broken to fit roof dimensions. Dry-cutting asbestos shingles with a circular saw or hatchet—common practice during this era—generated significant quantities of fine asbestos-laden dust. Workers operating in close proximity to cutting operations, or working in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, faced elevated exposure potential.

During re-roofing and demolition, existing Flintkote shingles that had aged or weathered were subject to crumbling, breakage, and mechanical disruption. Plaintiffs alleged that workers tasked with tearing off old asbestos shingle roofing—frequently without respiratory protection or hazard warnings—were exposed to high concentrations of airborne asbestos fibers. The friability of aged shingles compounded exposure risks compared to new, undamaged product.

Secondary exposure has also been raised in litigation contexts, with plaintiffs alleging that workers carried asbestos dust home on clothing and equipment, potentially exposing household members to residual fibers.

OSHA’s current permissible exposure limit for asbestos is 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air, a standard that reflects the agency’s recognition of asbestos as a serious occupational health hazard. Industry practices in place during Flintkote’s production years routinely exceeded what would now be considered safe exposure thresholds.

Flintkote Company does not have an active asbestos bankruptcy trust fund available to claimants. The company entered bankruptcy proceedings as a consequence of mounting asbestos litigation, but no Tier 1 trust fund has been established through which eligible claimants can file standardized compensation claims. Legal remedies for individuals injured by exposure to Flintkote asbestos roofing shingles have therefore proceeded primarily through civil litigation.

Litigation records document that Flintkote faced substantial asbestos-related lawsuits brought by workers and their families alleging injuries including mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases. Plaintiffs alleged that Flintkote was aware, or should have been aware, of the hazards associated with asbestos exposure and failed to adequately warn workers, contractors, and end users of those risks.

Individuals who believe they were exposed to Flintkote asbestos roofing shingles and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease may wish to consult with a qualified asbestos litigation attorney to evaluate available legal options. Relevant considerations in these cases typically include:

  • Documented work history showing employment at Flintkote facilities or occupational contact with Flintkote roofing products
  • Medical diagnosis of mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or related conditions by a qualified physician
  • Applicable statutes of limitations, which vary by state and generally begin running from the date of diagnosis rather than exposure
  • Potential for claims against additional defendants, including distributors, contractors, or other manufacturers of asbestos-containing products used alongside Flintkote shingles on the same worksites

Because no active trust fund exists, compensation—if awarded—would be pursued through settlement negotiations or jury verdicts in civil court. The complexity of asbestos litigation and the need to establish product identification and exposure history make early consultation with legal counsel important for affected individuals and families.

This article is provided for informational purposes based on documented litigation records, regulatory standards, and publicly available information. It does not constitute legal or medical advice. Individuals with potential asbestos-related claims should consult a licensed attorney and appropriate medical professionals.