Cement masons were exposed to asbestos through the asbestos-cement pipe and board they cut and fit, and the patching and refractory cements they mixed and troweled. Transite-type pipe and board, mortar mixes, and furnace and patching cements were allegedly made with asbestos, and shaping and mixing them released fiber directly into the mason’s breathing zone.

How Cement Masons Were Exposed

The dustiest work was cutting and beveling asbestos-cement pipe and board. Sawing, grinding, and drilling transite for water and sewer lines, and cutting cement board panels to fit, threw dry asbestos-cement dust into the air. Mixing patching cements, mortar, and refractory cements from the bag, and troweling and finishing those materials, added more airborne fiber. Masons worked in trenches and enclosed areas where the dust hung around them.

The Asbestos Materials — and the Products They Came In

Exposure tracked to a handful of material types. Each links to products documented in the AsbestosIndex as allegedly asbestos-containing:

Asbestos-cement pipe — sawed, ground, and drilled:

Asbestos-cement board — cut and fit:

Patching, mortar & refractory cement — mixed and troweled:

Browse the full Cement Pipe and Refractory categories for more.

Take-Home Risk to Families

Like other dusty trades, cement masons carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin, and tools — exposing spouses and children who never worked with asbestos. See take-home asbestos exposure.

If you worked as a cement mason and were diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease after exposure to asbestos on the job, you may have a legal claim.

Product references reflect allegations documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation. This information is published by an independent media organization — not a law firm — and is educational only. It does not constitute legal advice or provide legal services.