Asbestos has a long history as a fireproofing material. Today, most of these products have traded their asbestos content for safe alternatives, like fiberglass or ceramic insulation, providing hazard-free protection. However, past use of asbestos saw its ironic usage in a variety of products meant to keep individuals safe. These asbestos-containing fireproofing materials saw use in many industries, especially those with the highest chance of heat and fire exposure, like firefighting and various manufacturing settings.

Professions like steelwork, which involved close contact with molten metal reaching thousands of degrees, also saw the use of asbestos-containing protective clothing, such as gloves. In addition to entering dangerous structures with a high risk of environmental asbestos exposure, firefighters in the past also used a variety of protective clothing pieces with asbestos woven into the fabric. Although effective at protecting individuals from the immediate hazards of this heat and fire exposure, the long-term consequences of its use impacted patients later as they developed a number of illnesses related to the inhalation and ingestion of the fibers that shed from these products. Below is a list of fire protection products that frequently contained asbestos in the past.

Fire Blankets

Fire blankets remain a vital protective tool in many industrial and workplace settings. In the event of a fire outbreak, these blankets can be thrown over the flames to smother them and prevent spreading. In addition, these blankets can be thrown over individuals if their clothing catches on fire, quickly and effectively extinguishing these flames. These blankets are also essential to emergency responders like firefighters. When rescuing victims from burning buildings, firefighters cover individuals with these blankets, allowing them to exit engulfed areas with a diminished risk of burn injury.

Unfortunately, these blankets were originally manufactured with the use of asbestos fibers. Although an effective fire insulator, asbestos in these blankets eventually broke down, allowing the tiny fibers to escape. This asbestos fiber release was impossible to avoid, as even light contact with asbestos-containing materials can allow their release. With the rough contact and damaging heat exposure fire blankets underwent, the release of asbestos fibers was inevitable.    

Fire Curtains

Also known as safety curtains or irons, several devastating stage fires in the early 1900s prompted theater owners to look for a fire-retardant curtain which could be quickly dropped on flames before they had the chance to spread. In addition, these curtains helped keep flames away from the audience. Stored in the rafters, these curtains quickly became popular in many large facilities where the outbreak of fire was a serious risk, including auditoriums, bingo halls and warehouses.

Unfortunately, early fire curtains were constructed with asbestos as the main fireproofing material. The greatest risk for exposure to the asbestos fibers woven into these curtains came as the blankets were removed or dropped from the ceiling, especially after a long period of disuse. During this period of disuse, the materials may have aged and become more likely to break apart. In addition, any rip or tear in the large curtains allowed these fibers to detach over a period of years. Those most at risk for developing an asbestos-related disease due to exposure to these asbestos curtains include anyone who worked at older theaters, including actors and stagehands. Although theaters today still contain these fire curtains, iron or fiberglass has now replaced asbestos in these fire prevention products.

Fire Doors

Fire doors found use in buildings to prevent the spread of fire from one room to another, giving firefighters a greater chance at extinguishing these blazes and allowing those inside to escape more easily. These doors can be found in both commercial and home use. Some fire doors are even set up to automatically close when a fire is detected.

In addition to steel and glass, many fire doors produced in the past contained vermiculite boards as a fireproofing material. Unfortunately, much of the vermiculite mined in the past was contaminated with asbestos fibers because the two minerals are similar in structure and frequently found in the same deposits. When the vermiculite in these fire doors breaks down due to deterioration by age and physical contact, the asbestos fibers can be loosened and become released in the air where they pose an inhalation and ingestion danger.

Spray-on Fireproofing

Spray-on fireproofing insulation was extremely popular due to its ease of application, effectiveness and ability to coat difficult-to-cover surfaces. These forms of spray insulation could be found in a foam, fiberfill or cement form. The various forms of spray-on insulation were used widely until their ban by the Environmental Protection Agency in the 1970s due to their asbestos content. However, by this time hundreds of thousands of homes and offices throughout the United States already contained a form of asbestos-tainted spray-on fireproofing.

Spray-on fireproofing presents one of the greatest risks of developing an asbestos-related illness. During installation, the application of these materials inevitably created a fine mist of suspended particles that would be inhaled without proper protective equipment. After installation, these areas of spray-on fireproofing material were extremely friable, meaning the coatings were extremely brittle and prone to crumbling into a fine dust when disturbed. This crumbled material could enter the air and put anyone in close proximity in danger. Unfortunately, these tiny fibers, which often escaped from ceilings, could remain suspended in the air for a long period of time due to their size.

Asbestos Fire Protection Product Risks

Due to their need to prevent the immediate danger of fire in a structure, these asbestos-containing materials could be found in countless commercial structures and homes. However, that common use contributed to the number of individuals who developed a related health condition. These diseases included the severe lung disease asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

These diseases develop as asbestos fibers detach from these fire protecting products and enter the air, where they can be swallowed or inhaled. When inhaled, asbestos can cause respiratory illnesses or a buildup of fluid known as pleural effusion, among other painful conditions. Mesothelioma is a unique form of cancer which develops in the tissue layer surrounding, protecting and lubricating vital internal organs. The three most common types of mesothelioma are pleural, pericardial and peritoneal, though testicular mesothelioma is occasionally diagnosed.