H.H. Robertson Company, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a major manufacturer of prefabricated metal building panels, curtain wall systems, and architectural construction products supplying commercial and government construction markets throughout the twentieth century. Robertson supplied building panel systems incorporating asbestos-containing materials for US Navy and military shore facility construction during the WWII and Cold War era. Robertson’s building panel products — used in hangar construction, industrial facility walls and roofs, and other naval shore facility construction — incorporated asbestos-containing insulation core materials and asbestos-containing fire-resistant coatings in the panel assemblies. Navy construction ratings, shore facility maintenance personnel, and Seabee construction battalions working with Robertson building products during shore facility construction and renovation encountered asbestos-containing insulation and coating materials in these building panel systems.

Asbestos in Robertson Building Panel Products

H.H. Robertson’s construction products incorporated asbestos in panel construction:

  • Insulated building panel core materials — Robertson’s prefabricated insulated building panel systems used asbestos-containing insulation core materials in the panels’ thermal insulation layer for WWII-era and Cold War-era construction applications. Cutting or drilling Robertson insulated panels for installation or modification released asbestos fiber from the panel core insulation materials
  • Fire-resistant panel coatings and facings — certain Robertson building panel products used asbestos-containing fire-resistant coatings or facings on the panel surfaces to meet fire resistance requirements for military construction applications. Sanding, grinding, or abrading these panel surfaces during installation or renovation work released asbestos fiber from the panel surface coatings
  • Curtain wall and cladding systems — Robertson curtain wall and building cladding products used in Navy shore facility construction incorporated asbestos-containing materials in the panel joint fillers, sealants, and construction products associated with the curtain wall system installation

Robertson products appeared in Navy shore facility construction:

  • Hangar and industrial building construction — Robertson’s prefabricated building panel systems were suitable for large industrial building applications including Navy aircraft hangars and maintenance facilities, where the panel systems provided rapid construction of large enclosed spaces with fire-resistant construction products containing asbestos
  • Naval station administrative and support buildings — Robertson building products appeared in Cold War-era naval station construction where prefabricated building panel systems were used to rapidly expand shore facility construction at naval stations and air stations

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Robertson Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure in Navy construction and facility maintenance activities. Seabee construction ratings and shore facility maintenance personnel who worked with Robertson building products containing asbestos and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.