Shingle Products Asbestos Exposure

Shingle Products and Historical Asbestos Use

Historical asbestos-containing shingles were used as durable exterior building materials. Depending on the product, shingles could be installed on roofs or exterior walls and could remain in place for decades before repair, replacement or demolition.

Some asbestos shingles were cementitious, with asbestos fibers bound into a hard matrix. These products are generally less likely to release fibers when intact than when they are cut, drilled, ground, broken or otherwise damaged.

Weathering, prior repairs and repeated reroofing or re-siding can complicate identification because older asbestos-containing shingles may remain beneath newer materials.

Types of Asbestos-Containing Shingles

Historical asbestos-containing shingle products may have included:

• asbestos-cement roofing shingles;
• asbestos-cement siding shingles;
• flat cementitious roof shingles;
• decorative exterior siding shingles;
• textured or patterned cement shingles;
• replacement shingles used for spot repairs;
• shingles installed over older felt or underlayment; and
• other specialty fire-resistant or weather-resistant shingle products.

Roofing shingles should be distinguished from roofing felt, mastics, flashings and underlayment because each component can have a different asbestos history.

How Asbestos Exposure Could Occur

A potential exposure pathway requires asbestos-containing shingles and work that disturbs them. OSHA notes that roofing and siding shingles containing asbestos fall within Class II asbestos work when removed.

Potential disturbance could occur during tasks such as:

• cutting shingles to fit roof edges or wall openings;
• drilling holes for fasteners, vents or fixtures;
• sawing asbestos-cement shingles;
• breaking shingles during tear-off;
• removing nails or fasteners;
• grinding or abrading shingle surfaces;
• demolishing roofs or exterior walls;
• dropping or crushing removed shingles;
• handling broken shingle debris; and
• dry sweeping or blowing dust after removal.

Actual exposure depends on asbestos content, product condition, work method, frequency, duration, proximity, ventilation and controls.

Workers and Job Sites That May Have Encountered Asbestos Shingles

Workers who manufactured, installed, repaired, removed or worked near historical asbestos-containing shingles may have encountered airborne fibers. A job title alone does not establish exposure; the exact shingle product and work performed matter.

Potentially relevant occupations may include roofers, siding installers, carpenters, construction laborers, maintenance workers, demolition crews, building engineers and military construction personnel.

Possible settings include houses, apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, factories, warehouses, offices, military facilities and other structures with older roofing or siding systems.

Nearby workers may also be relevant when shingles were cut, drilled, broken or removed in shared work areas.

Repair, Removal and Demolition Risks

Roofing shingle removal

OSHA requires asbestos-containing roofing material to be removed in an intact state to the extent feasible. Keeping material intact helps reduce unnecessary breakage and dust generation.

Siding shingle removal

For cementitious asbestos-containing siding and shingles, OSHA prohibits cutting, abrading or breaking unless less fiber-releasing methods cannot be used. The standard also requires wetting before removal.

Cutting and drilling

Maintenance or remodeling may require holes for vents, wiring, pipes, fixtures or fasteners. Sawing, drilling or grinding asbestos-cement shingles can disturb the hard matrix and release fibers.

Weathered or damaged shingles

Old shingles may become cracked, chipped or brittle from age, impact or weather. Damaged material can break more easily during repair or removal.

Demolition and debris handling

Demolition can break shingles and mix fragments with other building debris. OSHA work-practice rules for asbestos-containing siding and shingles are designed to limit unnecessary breakage and uncontrolled dropping of material.

Evidence That May Identify Historical Shingle Products

Exposure reconstruction is strongest when evidence identifies the exact shingle product, manufacturer, building, installation or removal period and work performed.

Useful evidence may include:

• manufacturer names, brand names and product numbers;
• shingle cartons, bundles, wrappers or labels;
• historic roofing and siding catalogs;
• technical literature and installation instructions;
• architectural specifications and finish schedules;
• purchase orders, invoices and supplier records;
• roofing or siding contractor records;
• repair, reroofing and re-siding documentation;
• historic photographs showing shingle patterns or profiles;
• asbestos surveys and abatement records;
• bulk-sample laboratory reports;
• employer, union or military records documenting assignments;
• coworker or supervisor statements identifying products and tasks; and
• qualified laboratory analysis of surviving material when appropriate.

Testing should distinguish shingles from roofing felt, siding underlayment, mastics, coatings and other nearby materials whenever those components can be separately identified.

Medical and pathology records may document an asbestos-related diagnosis but do not establish which historical shingle product was an exposure source.

Secondhand Exposure and Health Risks

If work with asbestos-containing shingles generated fibers that accumulated on clothing, shoes, tools or belongings, asbestos could potentially have been carried away from the job site. This is a possible secondhand exposure pathway, but family relationship alone does not establish exposure.

Asbestos exposure is associated with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis and other asbestos-related disease. Working around older shingles does not diagnose disease and does not establish individual medical causation.

Anyone concerned about historical occupational asbestos exposure should discuss their work history and health with a qualified healthcare professional.

Legal and Compensation Considerations

Depending on the evidence and circumstances, legal options may be available to a person diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease after documented exposure to a specific asbestos-containing shingle product.

A legal review may consider the manufacturer, product line, building or job site, installation or removal period, roofing or siding tasks performed, frequency and duration of exposure, diagnosis, jurisdiction and applicable filing deadlines.

Identifying a manufacturer, supplier, contractor or property owner does not automatically establish legal responsibility. Liability is case-specific and depends on product evidence, exposure evidence and governing law.

Some matters may involve asbestos trust funds, but each trust has its own product, exposure and medical documentation requirements. Eligibility is not automatic, and compensation is not guaranteed.

Exposure that occurred decades ago does not by itself determine whether a claim is timely. Statutes of limitation and other deadlines vary by jurisdiction and circumstances and should be reviewed individually.

Shingle Products Asbestos Exposure FAQs

Did old roofing shingles contain asbestos?

Some historical roofing shingles contained asbestos, especially certain asbestos-cement products, while many other shingles did not.

Did old siding shingles contain asbestos?

Some historical siding shingles contained asbestos. Product-specific identification or testing may be needed.

Can asbestos shingles be identified by appearance?

No. EPA says the only way to know for sure whether a suspect material contains asbestos is qualified laboratory testing.

Can cutting asbestos-cement shingles release fibers?

Potentially. Sawing, drilling, grinding or breaking asbestos-cement products can disturb the material and release fibers.

Are intact asbestos shingles less risky than broken shingles?

Generally, intact non-friable material is less likely to release fibers than material that is cut, abraded, broken or deteriorated.

Why does OSHA treat shingle removal as Class II asbestos work?

OSHA defines Class II work to include removal of asbestos-containing roofing and siding shingles because the activity can disturb ACM even though it is not thermal insulation or surfacing material.

What evidence can identify historical asbestos shingles?

Useful evidence can include labels, catalogs, specifications, invoices, contractor records, photographs, asbestos surveys, laboratory reports and coworker testimony.

Does working around old shingles automatically qualify someone for compensation?

No. Legal eligibility depends on product identification, asbestos-content evidence, exposure history, diagnosis, jurisdiction and other case-specific facts. Compensation is not guaranteed.

Get Help Reviewing Historical Shingle Exposure

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer or another asbestos-related disease and you are trying to identify older roofing or siding shingles from a workplace, residence, military facility or construction project, we can help organize the product and exposure history that may be relevant.

Call 800.291.0963 to discuss what you remember about the shingles, manufacturer, building or job site and work performed. Live chat is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Submit Your Case using the form below.

Prior exposure does not automatically establish a legal claim. Eligibility depends on the evidence, diagnosis, jurisdiction and other circumstances, and compensation is not guaranteed.

⚕️ Legal & Medical Information Disclaimer
This page provides general educational information and is not medical or legal advice. The information does not establish asbestos exposure, diagnosis, causation, liability, claim eligibility or compensation. Medical concerns should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional, and legal questions should be reviewed with a qualified attorney.