Cafco Blaze-Shield Type D (1958–1971)

Product Description

Cafco Blaze-Shield Type D was a spray-applied fireproofing material manufactured by US Mineral Products Company and marketed primarily for use in commercial, industrial, and institutional construction projects throughout the late 1950s and into the early 1970s. The product was designed to provide passive fire resistance to structural steel members, particularly beams, columns, and deck assemblies, where building codes and insurance requirements demanded protection against fire-induced structural failure.

Spray-applied fireproofing of this era represented a significant shift away from earlier methods such as encasing steel in concrete or wrapping it with gypsum board. Products like Blaze-Shield Type D allowed construction crews to achieve required fire ratings far more quickly and economically, making them attractive to building owners, general contractors, and developers during a period of rapid postwar construction expansion. US Mineral Products Company, operating under the Cafco brand, became one of the prominent suppliers in this market segment.

Blaze-Shield Type D was sold and installed across a wide range of project types, including manufacturing facilities, warehouses, office buildings, schools, hospitals, and government structures. Because it was applied directly at the construction site using specialized spray equipment, the product entered the built environment of countless structures constructed during its years of production, many of which remain standing today.

Asbestos Content

Cafco Blaze-Shield Type D contained asbestos as a primary functional component of its formulation. The asbestos fibers served multiple purposes within the product: they provided thermal insulation properties essential to the fireproofing function, contributed to the structural integrity of the applied coating, and allowed the material to adhere to steel surfaces and harden into a cohesive, stable layer.

Spray-applied fireproofing products of this generation relied heavily on asbestos—most commonly chrysotile, amosite, or a combination of fiber types—because no widely adopted alternative materials had yet been developed for this application. The asbestos content in these products was typically substantial, not incidental, meaning that fibers were distributed throughout the mixed and applied material rather than present only as minor additives.

The use of asbestos in spray-applied fireproofing came under increasing regulatory scrutiny during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took steps to address the hazards posed by asbestos-containing sprayed materials, and by the early 1970s the industry began transitioning toward reformulated or alternative products. Blaze-Shield Type D was produced through approximately 1971, placing its full production run within the period of heaviest asbestos use in construction fireproofing.

Buildings in which Blaze-Shield Type D was installed may still contain the material in place. When intact and undisturbed, in-place asbestos-containing fireproofing is generally not considered an immediate hazard. However, deterioration, building renovation, demolition, or other disturbances can release fibers into the air, creating ongoing exposure risks for building occupants, maintenance personnel, and workers involved in later construction activities.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers and construction tradespeople encountered Cafco Blaze-Shield Type D during several distinct phases of the product’s life cycle, each presenting its own exposure dynamics.

Application workers faced the most direct and concentrated exposures. Spray-applied fireproofing required workers to mix dry materials with water and apply the resulting slurry under pressure through hose-and-nozzle equipment. This process generated substantial quantities of airborne dust and overspray. Workers operating the spray equipment, as well as nearby laborers, ironworkers, and other trades working in the same area, could be enveloped in clouds of asbestos-laden overspray during application. Respiratory protection standards and practices during the 1958–1971 period were far less rigorous than those required today, and many workers performed this work without adequate protective equipment.

Ironworkers and structural steel workers were frequently present on job sites where Blaze-Shield Type D was being applied to freshly erected steel. Because spray fireproofing operations often overlapped with ongoing structural work, these tradespeople were routinely exposed to overspray and settled dust without being directly involved in the fireproofing operation itself.

Maintenance and facility workers in industrial settings where the product had been installed faced secondary exposures during the building’s operational life. Routine maintenance tasks—running conduit, installing pipe hangers, cutting through fireproofed assemblies, or simply disturbing aged and friable material—could release fibers. Workers in industrial facilities often had no awareness that the material overhead or surrounding steel members contained asbestos.

Demolition and renovation workers encountered the product in later decades when structures containing Blaze-Shield Type D underwent modification or teardown. Cutting, grinding, or demolishing fireproofed steel released substantial concentrations of fibers from material that had been in place for years or decades.

OSHA’s asbestos standards, codified and updated in subsequent decades, now require stringent controls for work involving asbestos-containing spray fireproofing, including air monitoring, respiratory protection, wet methods, and waste disposal protocols. These protections were not in place for much of the period during which Blaze-Shield Type D was applied.

Cafco Blaze-Shield Type D falls within Tier 2 of the legal landscape for asbestos-containing products, meaning that claims arising from exposure to this product have proceeded through civil litigation rather than through an established asbestos bankruptcy trust fund.

Litigation records document that plaintiffs have brought personal injury claims against US Mineral Products Company and related entities in connection with asbestos-containing Cafco products, including spray-applied fireproofing formulations produced during this era. In these cases, plaintiffs alleged that US Mineral Products Company knew or should have known of the hazards associated with asbestos-containing spray fireproofing, failed to adequately warn workers and end users of those hazards, and continued to manufacture and sell asbestos-containing products despite the availability of information linking asbestos exposure to serious disease.

Plaintiffs alleged that exposure to Blaze-Shield Type D and similar products caused diagnoses including mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related conditions. Litigation records document claims brought by construction workers, industrial workers, and in some cases the surviving family members of workers who died from asbestos-related disease.

Individuals who were exposed to Cafco Blaze-Shield Type D and have received a diagnosis of an asbestos-related illness should consult with an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation. Because multiple manufacturers, suppliers, and building owners may share legal responsibility depending on the circumstances of exposure, a thorough occupational and exposure history is essential to identifying all potential avenues for recovery. Statutes of limitations vary by state and typically begin running from the date of diagnosis rather than the date of exposure, making timely legal consultation important.

Documentation supporting a potential claim may include employment records, union membership history, job site records, coworker testimony, and medical records confirming an asbestos-related diagnosis.