Asbestos-Cement Siding (Asbestos Shingle Siding) — Asbestos Exposure Crosswalk

What This Equipment Is

Asbestos-cement siding — sometimes called “asbestos shingle siding” or by brand names like Transite siding — is a dimensionally stable, weatherproof, non-combustible exterior cladding made by combining chrysotile asbestos fiber with Portland cement and pressing or molding the mixture into shingles or panels. From the 1920s through about 1980 it was extensively used as siding on:

  • Single-family homes (particularly in the postwar suburban construction wave)
  • Small commercial buildings
  • Industrial outbuildings
  • Farm buildings
  • Older multi-family apartments

The product was prized for its fire resistance, rot and pest resistance, and dimensional stability — qualities that gave it a multi-decade service life. Much of what was installed in the 1940s–1970s is still in place today.

Why Siding Work Was a High-Exposure Activity

Intact, painted, weathered asbestos-cement siding is non-friable in service. Exposure happens when the cement matrix is broken, cut, drilled, sanded, or removed.

  • New installation — cutting shingles to fit at corners, around windows, and at roof lines (saw or shear releases cut-edge fiber); drilling nail holes
  • Repair — replacing broken or missing shingles after storm damage or routine deterioration
  • Painting prep — power-washing or hand-scraping loose paint and weathered surface material can disturb the cement matrix
  • Demolition — tear-off of entire siding installations generates the highest exposure; broken shingles release fiber freely, and demolition contractors historically performed this work without abatement protocols
  • Renovation — siding removal during additions, window replacement, or recladding projects

Homeowners and amateur renovators are a substantial exposure category. The product’s appearance is similar enough to other cementitious siding materials that owners may not realize they’re disturbing asbestos.

Manufacturers Named in Asbestos Siding Litigation

  • Johns-Manville — Transite and other asbestos-cement siding
  • CertainTeed — asbestos-cement shingle siding
  • National Gypsum — asbestos-cement products
  • Flintkote — asbestos-cement siding
  • Eternit — asbestos-cement products
  • Keasbey & Mattison — asbestos-cement siding
  • Atlas Asbestos Company — asbestos-cement siding

Documented Product References

Images sourced from publicly available product-identification reference materials. Inclusion does not constitute a finding of liability against any company.

Trust Funds That May Apply

  • Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust
  • National Gypsum / NGC Bodily Injury Trust
  • Flintkote Asbestos PI Trust
  • Keasbey-Mattison related trusts

Trades Most Exposed at Asbestos Siding Work

Siding installers, exterior carpenters, painters performing prep work, demolition crews, building renovation contractors, homeowners and amateur renovators performing DIY siding replacement.

Jobsites in the Network Documenting Asbestos Siding

Compiled from publicly filed asbestos litigation, EPA / state-DNR records, and industry-publication histories. Product and company references reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed litigation. This page does not constitute a finding of liability against any company. Not legal advice; consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.