Elevator & Escalator Brake Shoes — Asbestos Exposure Crosswalk

What This Equipment Is

Traction elevators are stopped and held by a friction brake that clamps onto the drive sheave or motor shaft when the elevator reaches its target floor or in an emergency stop. From the 1930s through the late 1980s, the dominant brake-shoe material in elevator service was an asbestos-bonded composite friction material — selected for its consistent friction coefficient, heat resistance, and low fade under repeated stops.

The same friction-material family appeared in:

  • Traction elevator main brakes — on the drive motor or sheave
  • Hydraulic elevator emergency brake assemblies
  • Escalator drive brakes
  • Dumbwaiter and freight-elevator brake systems
  • Theater stage-lift and orchestra-pit-lift brakes

Why Elevator Brake Work Was an Asbestos Exposure Pathway

Elevator brake shoes wear at a controlled rate over many years of normal service. Brake replacement involves removing the drive cover, dismounting the brake assembly, removing the worn shoes (handling them in close proximity to the worker’s breathing zone), and installing fresh shoes. The classic compressed-air-blowout-and-brush-clean sequence on automotive brakes (see Brake Linings) translates directly to elevator brake service.

Elevator modernization projects — common in commercial high-rises, hospitals, and institutional buildings of 1930s–1980s vintage — typically replace entire brake assemblies and disturb decades of accumulated brake dust in the machine room.

Manufacturers Named in Elevator-Brake Litigation

  • Otis Elevator Company — elevator OEM named in installation/maintenance claims
  • Westinghouse Electric (Elevator Division) — elevator OEM
  • Dover Elevator — elevator OEM
  • Schindler — elevator OEM
  • Montgomery Elevator — elevator OEM
  • Raybestos-Manhattan — friction-shoe supplier
  • Abex / Pneumo Abex — friction products
  • Bendix / Honeywell — friction products

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

  • Federal-Mogul Asbestos PI Trust (covers multiple friction-product entities)
  • Pneumo Abex Asbestos PI Trust
  • Raybestos-Manhattan Asbestos PI Trust

Trades Most Exposed at Elevator-Brake Work

Elevator mechanics and maintenance technicians, elevator-modernization contract crews, building engineers in commercial high-rises, escalator service technicians.

Jobsites in the Network

Compiled from publicly filed asbestos litigation, EPA / OSHA records on commercial elevator service, 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.