HiTemp Insulation Cement
For centuries, individuals have recognized the incredible insulating properties of asbestos, a naturally-mined mineral that is still mined today in countries like Canada and Russia. Asbestos was – for decades – lauded as a miracle mineral, protecting myriad individuals, buildings, and equipment from the dangers of fire and high temperatures. As an added bonus, asbestos was readily available and inexpensive to use so companies quickly began realizing that the profit margin from the manufacture of asbestos-containing products could be sizeable.
One company that made widespread use of “the miracle mineral” was the Philip Carey Manufacturing Corporation of Ohio. For about seven decades, this profitable company was the largest manufacturer of asbestos products in the U.S. One of their biggest sellers was their HiTemp line of products. These HiTemp products included various types of insulation that could withstand – of course – extremely high temperatures. HiTemp Insulation Cement was one such product. One of the company’s most popular products, HiTemp Insulation Cement was used for a number of different applications. This insulating cement provided resistance to heat transmission on surfaces operating at temperatures all the way up to about 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. That means you may have found HiTemp Insulating Cement in places like oil refineries, power plants, in boiler rooms, and on board ships.
While HiTemp Insulating Cement was basically safe when it was intact, if it was grinded, sanded, sawed, or damaged, the cement could easily release tiny asbestos fibers that would become airborne and could be inhaled by humans. Once inhaled, it’s impossible for the body to expel the sharp fibers and they become lodged in the chest area, usually the mesothelium – the lining around the lungs. The fibers eventually cause inflammation and diseases such as pleural plaques or asbestosis. Some people, however, develop a much more serious disease known as mesothelioma, a very aggressive cancer that is quite difficult to treat and often kills its victims quickly. Many individuals who develop this asbestos cancer often die within one year of diagnosis.
Though the manufacture of HiTemp Insulating Cement and other HiTemp products was outlawed around 1980, it was too late for many who had already developed asbestos-related diseases. Sadly, documents also show that officials with the Philip Carey Manufacturing Corporation knew that asbestos was dangerous yet they allowed their employees to continue working with the mineral and allowed the continued use of the HiTemp products in buildings throughout the nation. The result was hundreds of cases of mesothelioma that could potentially have been avoided had the mineral been banned.
If you worked with HiTemp Insulation Cement, you may be prone to developing an asbestos-related disease. If you’ve already been diagnosed with mesothelioma due to exposure to HiTemp products manufactured by Philip Carey Corporation, you may qualify for monetary compensation. To learn more about the disease and your legal rights, order our mesothelioma information kit today.
Last modified: October 15 2008.
