Rollboard
Rollboard is a construction material which possesses high resistance to heat, and which is therefore commonly used in areas exposed to heat on a consistent basis, including machine rooms, ship engine rooms, and industrial areas containing furnaces and other heat emitting apparatus.
Rollboard and asbestos
Prior to the mid-1970s, rollboard was manufactured using high levels of asbestos. In fact, in most rollboard, asbestos accounted for as much as 80 percent of the composition. Rollboard was only one of thousands of materials which relied on asbestos as a primary component.
Initially extensively mined during the last half of the 19th century, asbestos soon became a common additive in construction and industrial materials. Manufacturers and construction engineers turned to the mineral time and again for its heat and corrosion resistance, as well as its flexibility and strength. Asbestos is a silica-based mineral, readily available and easily mined. In fact, to manufacturers of the late 19th-century up until the early 1970s, asbestos was referred to as the “miracle mineral.” Millions of buildings were built using products containing varying levels of the mineral.
But during the 1970s, safety experts began to question the health effects of asbestos exposure. During the manufacturing process and during construction and industrial applications, asbestos releases tiny, airborne fibers, which can be inhaled or ingested by workers or others in the area of construction. Once in the body, the tiny fibers cling to the lungs, airways, and stomach, where they can cause a host of potentially life-threatening diseases, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.
In 1977, in recognition of those dangers, the United States government banned the use of asbestos in the manufacturing and construction industries. The legislation allowed existing supplies of materials to be used up, meaning many buildings constructed well into the 1980s contain asbestos-laden products and materials.
As a result, millions of workers and homeowners have been exposed to these fibers and their inherent risks. The symptoms of asbestos exposure can take decades to become evident. In its initial stages asbestos-related illness can mimic the symptoms of a common cold. There is no cure for asbestos-related illnesses, but there are certain steps which can be taken to alleviate symptoms when they first occur. If you worked with rollboard in the construction or manufacturing industries, you should discuss your possible exposure risks with your health care specialist as soon as possible.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
