Super “66” Insulating Cement

Product Description

Super “66” Insulating Cement was a refractory insulating cement manufactured by Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc. Produced from approximately 1930 through 1971, this product was formulated to provide thermal insulation and structural integrity in high-heat industrial environments. Refractory cements of this type were engineered to withstand extreme temperatures, making them a standard material across a broad range of industrial settings including steel mills, power generation facilities, petrochemical plants, and heavy manufacturing operations.

Eagle-Picher Industries was one of the United States’ most prominent industrial manufacturers throughout the twentieth century, with product lines spanning mining, chemicals, and industrial materials. The company’s refractory division produced a range of insulating cements and related materials that were widely distributed and used throughout American industry during the decades following World War II. Super “66” Insulating Cement was among these products, marketed to industrial facilities requiring durable, heat-resistant insulating materials for equipment such as furnaces, boilers, kilns, and industrial piping systems.

The product was sold commercially under the Eagle-Picher brand name and was available through industrial supply channels, making it accessible to a wide variety of workplaces and trades throughout its production run. Its use was particularly concentrated in facilities where continuous or high-temperature industrial processes demanded reliable thermal management materials.

Asbestos Content

Super “66” Insulating Cement contained chrysotile asbestos as a primary component of its formulation. Chrysotile, sometimes referred to as white asbestos, is the most commonly used form of asbestos in commercial and industrial products. It was valued by manufacturers for its fibrous structure, which provided tensile reinforcement, and for its resistance to heat and chemical degradation — properties that made it particularly well-suited to refractory applications.

In insulating cements, chrysotile asbestos fibers were typically blended with binding agents and other mineral materials to create a workable mixture that could be applied to surfaces, shaped around equipment, and allowed to cure into a rigid, heat-resistant insulating layer. The asbestos content in these formulations contributed to the product’s ability to resist cracking, maintain structural cohesion at elevated temperatures, and provide durable long-term insulation.

Chrysotile asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under 29 CFR 1910.1001 and 29 CFR 1926.1101. Exposure to chrysotile asbestos fibers has been linked to mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other serious respiratory diseases.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers in a broad range of occupations encountered Super “66” Insulating Cement during the product’s decades-long production run. Exposure could occur at multiple points: during the mixing and application of the cement, during the removal or repair of existing installations, and in the course of general work activities in environments where the product was present.

Workers who mixed the dry cement with water were potentially at significant risk, as this process could disturb asbestos-containing dust that had settled in bags or containers and release airborne fibers into the immediate work area. Similarly, workers who troweled, shaped, or finished the cement after application could disturb fibers before the material had fully cured. In dry or deteriorated form, the cement was particularly likely to release respirable asbestos fibers into the breathing zone of workers.

Maintenance and repair workers faced repeated exposure when they broke apart or removed hardened cement during equipment servicing or overhauls. This type of disturbance — often performed with chisels, grinders, or pneumatic tools in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces — could generate significant concentrations of airborne asbestos fibers. Industrial workers who were not directly handling the material but who worked in proximity to those who were could also be exposed through secondary or bystander contact.

OSHA’s permissible exposure limits for asbestos were not established until the 1970s, and effective enforcement of industrial hygiene standards across American workplaces was limited for much of the period during which Super “66” Insulating Cement was manufactured and actively installed. Workers in affected industries often had no knowledge that the materials they worked with contained asbestos or that exposure posed a serious long-term health risk.

Because refractory cements were installed in durable applications, existing installations of Super “66” Insulating Cement may have remained in service — and subject to disturbance during maintenance — long after the product was discontinued in 1971.

Documented Trust Fund / Legal Options

Eagle-Picher Industries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1991, in large part due to mounting asbestos liability claims arising from products including insulating cements, gaskets, and other asbestos-containing materials manufactured and sold over several decades. The Eagle-Picher Industries Personal Injury Settlement Trust was established through Eagle-Picher’s bankruptcy reorganization to address qualifying asbestos claims. However, individuals with claims specifically related to Super “66” Insulating Cement should consult with a qualified asbestos attorney to determine current claim eligibility and trust status, as trust processes and available claim categories are subject to change.

For cases proceeding in civil litigation, litigation records document claims brought by industrial workers and their families alleging injury from exposure to Eagle-Picher asbestos-containing products, including refractory materials. Plaintiffs alleged that Eagle-Picher knew or should have known of the hazards associated with asbestos exposure and failed to adequately warn workers or take reasonable steps to reduce exposure risks during the decades the products were sold and in use.

Plaintiffs in asbestos litigation related to refractory products have generally alleged causes of action including negligence, strict products liability, and failure to warn. These claims typically require documentation of product-specific exposure, a qualifying diagnosis, and a demonstrable connection between the diagnosed condition and occupational asbestos contact.

Individuals who worked in industrial settings during the years Super “66” Insulating Cement was produced and widely used — particularly those who mixed, applied, maintained, or removed refractory insulating cements — and who have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or related conditions are encouraged to seek legal counsel experienced in asbestos litigation. An attorney with relevant expertise can evaluate potential claims, identify applicable legal avenues, and assist in gathering the occupational history and product identification documentation required to pursue compensation.