Asbestos Resources
Welcome to the Asbestos Library: Your Comprehensive Resource for Asbestos Information
For over a decade, our firm has dedicated itself to collecting, curating, and analyzing information about asbestos and its far-reaching impacts. Today, we are proud to share this extensive resource with the world, offering invaluable insights for anyone seeking to understand asbestos exposure, its associated risks, and the industries, products, and occupations that played a role in its widespread use.
The Asbestos Library is more than just a collection of facts—it’s a tool for empowerment. Whether you are a researcher, medical professional, attorney, or an individual affected by asbestos exposure, this library serves as your guide to navigating the complex history and science of asbestos. From its unique properties and applications to the industries and job sites that were most impacted, the Asbestos Library connects you to the knowledge you need.
What You’ll Find in the Asbestos Library
Comprehensive Glossary: Understand the terminology of asbestos, from medical and legal terms to industry-specific jargon.
Exposure Insights: Explore how asbestos exposure occurred in workplaces, homes, and through common products.
Product, Industry, and Occupation Information: Learn about asbestos-containing products, the industries that relied on them, and the workers most at risk.
Historical Context: Discover the truth about asbestos as a mineral, its widespread use, and the corporate coverups that hid its dangers.
Videos and Visuals: Access our curated collection of educational videos and historical footage about asbestos and its effects.
Known Sites of Exposure: Search through our extensive database of job sites across the U.S. known for asbestos exposure.
Our Commitment to Sharing Knowledge
Asbestos exposure has caused untold harm to individuals and families, often due to negligence and misinformation. By making this library accessible to all, we hope to raise awareness, support legal and medical advocacy, and provide clarity in an often-confusing landscape. This resource is not just about education—it’s about justice, prevention, and support for those affected.
Thank you for visiting the Asbestos Library. We invite you to explore the sections below and discover how asbestos shaped industries, impacted lives, and continues to influence legal and medical fields today.
Understanding Asbestos Exposure
How Asbestos Has Touched Every Corner of Our Lives
Asbestos exposure is at the heart of countless stories of illness, legal battles, and industrial transformation. Understanding how and where exposure occurred is essential for protecting yourself, advocating for justice, and ensuring future generations are not harmed by this dangerous mineral.
How Asbestos Exposure Happens
Asbestos fibers are microscopic and can remain airborne for long periods, making inhalation or ingestion the primary routes of exposure. Once in the body, these fibers can lodge in the lungs or other tissues, causing inflammation, scarring, and long-term damage that can lead to serious diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
Exposure typically occurred in three main contexts:
Occupational Exposure: Workers in industries such as construction, shipbuilding, automotive repair, and manufacturing were frequently exposed to asbestos on the job.
Product Use: Asbestos-containing materials were widely used in everyday products like insulation, floor tiles, and automotive parts, putting users at risk.
Secondary Exposure: Family members of asbestos workers were often exposed to fibers brought home on clothing, tools, or hair.
Key Resources to Explore
Our Asbestos Exposure section dives deeper into how and where exposure occurred, providing detailed resources to help you understand its risks. Below, you’ll find links to dedicated pages that outline exposure in various contexts:
Asbestos Products: Explore our comprehensive database of asbestos-containing products, from pipe insulation to automotive parts. Learn why asbestos was used, where it was found, and how it posed risks to those handling or using these materials.
Occupational Exposure: Discover how asbestos affected workers in industries like construction, shipbuilding, and manufacturing. Learn about the jobs most at risk and how exposure happened on the job.
Industrial Use of Asbestos: Understand the industries that relied on asbestos, such as aviation, oil refining, and steel production. These pages provide a broader look at how asbestos powered entire sectors of the economy while endangering workers and communities.
Household Exposure: Uncover the hidden dangers of asbestos in everyday life, from contaminated household products to fibers brought home by workers. Learn how families were unknowingly put at risk and what can be done to address secondary exposure.
Known Sites of Exposure: Search our extensive database of job sites and locations across the U.S. where asbestos was known to be present. From factories to schools, these pages provide detailed information to help you identify potential exposure risks in your area.
Why Understanding Exposure Matters
Asbestos exposure is not just a medical issue—it’s a legal and social one as well. Understanding how exposure occurred can help you:
Protect your health and seek medical screenings if you suspect past exposure.
Build stronger legal cases by identifying specific products, companies, or job sites linked to exposure.
Advocate for better protections and policies to prevent future harm.
The Products, Industries, and Occupations Impacted by Asbestos
Tracing the Web of Asbestos Use Across Society
Asbestos is woven into the history of countless industries, workplaces, and everyday products. Understanding the scope of its use helps illustrate how widespread exposure has been—and why its consequences are still felt today.
Asbestos Products Database
From fireproofing materials to household items, asbestos found its way into thousands of products used throughout the 20th century. Our detailed database examines:
The types of products that contained asbestos, including insulation, flooring, automotive parts, and consumer goods.
The reasons asbestos was used in these products, such as its heat resistance and durability.
How these products posed risks during manufacturing, installation, or everyday use.
Explore the Asbestos Products Database to learn more about specific products and their associated dangers.
Industries That Used Asbestos
Entire industries were built on asbestos, relying on its unique properties for insulation, fireproofing, and construction. These industries include:
Shipbuilding and Maritime: Extensive use in engine rooms, boilers, and insulation.
Construction: Asbestos cement, roofing materials, and joint compounds were standard.
Automotive Repair: Brakes, clutches, and gaskets were heavily manufactured with asbestos.
Oil and Petrochemical: Piping and machinery insulation relied on asbestos for heat resistance.
Our Industrial Use of Asbestos pages offer an in-depth look at how specific sectors utilized asbestos and the lasting impact on workers and communities.
Occupational Exposure to Asbestos
The occupational legacy of asbestos exposure is profound. From pipefitters and welders to electricians and construction workers, countless trades encountered asbestos in the workplace. Our comprehensive guides cover:
How exposure occurred on the job.
The specific tasks that released asbestos fibers.
The long-term health impacts for workers in these roles.
Explore the Occupational Exposure Database to see if your profession was among those most at risk.
Why It Matters
By delving into the products, industries, and occupations that relied on asbestos, you can:
Better understand how exposure happened, whether for yourself, a loved one, or a client.
Identify potential sources of exposure to strengthen medical or legal cases.
Gain insight into the broader societal impacts of asbestos, from economic reliance to its devastating health costs.
The pages in this section provide a clear pathway for learning about asbestos’s widespread use, empowering visitors to take the next steps in understanding their exposure and its consequences.