Transite Asbestos-Cement Pipe and Board (CertainTeed)

Transite was a widely distributed line of asbestos-cement products manufactured by CertainTeed Corporation and used throughout American industrial, commercial, and residential construction for much of the twentieth century. Workers who handled, cut, drilled, or installed Transite pipe and board—as well as those who later disturbed it during renovation or demolition—faced significant exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. The CertainTeed Corporation Asbestos Claims Trust was established to provide compensation to individuals diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases linked to these products.

Product Description

Transite was the trade name applied to a family of asbestos-cement products produced by CertainTeed Corporation. The product line included pressure pipe and non-pressure pipe used in water distribution, drainage, sewer, and industrial process systems, as well as flat and corrugated board used in roofing, siding, fireproofing panels, and laboratory surfaces.

Transite pipe became a preferred choice for municipal and industrial infrastructure because asbestos-cement offered resistance to corrosion, chemical attack, and high temperatures at a competitive price point. Transite board served a parallel role in construction: it was valued as a non-combustible flat sheet material suitable for use as roofing underlayment, exterior cladding, partition panels, and work surfaces in environments where fire resistance was required.

CertainTeed Corporation, incorporated in the United States and operating numerous manufacturing plants, was one of the primary domestic producers of Transite products. Distribution was national in scope, and Transite materials reached construction sites, industrial facilities, municipal water systems, and institutional buildings across the country over a production run spanning several decades of the twentieth century.

Asbestos Content

Asbestos-cement products such as Transite were manufactured by combining Portland cement with asbestos fiber under pressure to produce a dense, hardened composite material. Chrysotile asbestos was the fiber type most commonly used in the Transite product line, though documentation associated with asbestos-cement manufacturing of this era indicates that other fiber types, including amosite and crocidolite, were incorporated into some formulations or used during certain production periods.

The asbestos content in asbestos-cement pipe and board products was substantial. Regulatory filings and product analyses conducted under frameworks including the Environmental Protection Agency’s Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) confirm that asbestos fiber was a primary structural component of these materials—not merely an additive—and that the fiber was present throughout the matrix of finished pipe and board.

When Transite products remained intact and undisturbed, the asbestos fiber was largely bound within the cement matrix. However, the material became hazardous during any process that abraded, cut, broke, or drilled into it, releasing asbestos fibers into the surrounding air. Weathered or deteriorating Transite board could also release fibers as the cement binder degraded over time.

How Workers Were Exposed

Industrial workers across a range of trades and job classifications encountered Transite pipe and board throughout its production, installation, and service life. Exposure occurred at multiple points in the product’s lifecycle.

Manufacturing plant workers who produced Transite pipe and board were exposed to raw asbestos fiber and to airborne dust generated during mixing, pressing, and finishing operations. Plant environments where asbestos-cement was manufactured were recognized in occupational health literature as high-exposure settings.

Pipefitters, plumbers, and construction laborers who installed Transite pipe in water distribution systems, industrial process lines, and drainage infrastructure regularly cut pipe sections to fit using saws, grinders, or scoring tools. Each cutting operation released asbestos-laden dust. Workers in confined trenches or enclosed mechanical rooms faced particularly concentrated exposures.

Roofers, carpenters, and sheet metal workers who handled Transite board during roofing and cladding applications cut, drilled, and nailed the board into place. Sawing Transite board generated a characteristic fine gray dust that settled on workers’ clothing, hair, and skin and was inhaled during the work.

Maintenance and repair workers who serviced existing Transite pipe systems or structures clad with Transite board disturbed aged material, sometimes without awareness of its asbestos content. Drilling into existing Transite panels, breaking pipe sections during repair, or sanding deteriorated board surfaces all generated fiber release.

Demolition workers and abatement contractors who encountered Transite during building removal or renovation projects faced exposure to weathered and friable material. Older Transite board in particular could become brittle and more readily release fibers when handled.

OSHA standards governing occupational asbestos exposure, codified at 29 C.F.R. § 1910.1001 and 29 C.F.R. § 1926.1101, establish permissible exposure limits and work practice requirements that reflect the recognized hazard posed by asbestos-cement products during disturbance. These standards apply to work involving Transite and similar asbestos-cement materials.

Workers, former workers, or their surviving family members who believe they were exposed to CertainTeed Transite asbestos-cement pipe or board should consult a qualified asbestos attorney to evaluate their legal options under the CertainTeed Corporation Asbestos Claims Trust and related asbestos compensation programs.