Asbestos use in Bendix washing machines/dryers manufactured in UK

[asbestoslawyer]

Hello,

I am acting for a gentleman who passed away from mesothelioma. He was a service engineering working for the UK manufacturers of “Bendix” washing machines from 1974 - 1993 and regularly worked on Bendix automatic washing machines, dryers and other Bendix appliances.

Before he passed away he advised that there were asbestos insulation sheets in the machines above the heating element in order insulate the heating element from the top of the washer/dryer.

I am having difficulty tracking down any information to confirm the presence of asbestos insulation in the appliances. Though he worked there in the 70s - 90s, he may have worked on older machines from the 50s and 60s as well.

If anyone has any technical manuals, servicing manuals or replacement parts booklets for any UK Bendix models from the 1950s through to the 80s/90s I would be extremely grateful if you could respond.

We are not looking to take statements or involve anyone in the proceedings so there is nothing to worry about on that front, I am just wondering if there are copies of any of the old manuals which might help us pin down whether any asbestos was used in the machines and if so, at what point it was phased out.

Thanks

 

[gyrafoam]

I am a long-time survivor------

of asbestos, apparently, because when I was growing up it was in EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, and still is in lots of old structures and objects.

I say this, not to marginalize the gentleman who passed away, just to say that I've seen plenty of Death Certificates that listed a cause of death as Carcinoma of the Lung for people who had never smoked a day in their lives.

If the guy had worked in a plant that MANUFACTURED the Asbestos, then It might be a different story. Just 'sayin.

 

[gizmo]

I don't have any specific information on Bendix machines, but the following might be of some interest:

It is probably washer-dryers (combination washer and dryer in one unit) at most risk of having asbestos inside. These machines have a combined heater/blower unit mounted inside the cabinet, it blows hot air into the drum during the drying cycle.

I have only been inside one Bendix washer-dryer and it was manufactured in Spain. I don't remember if it had asbestos or not, but I think it did.
I have also repaired a small number of Indesit washer-dryers from the 1970s. These were also re-badged as Lemair here in Australia, and rebadged as Colston in the UK. I believe they were quite popular in the UK. These Indesit machines definitely did have an asbestos sheet on the top of the heater/blower unit. I don't remember clearly if the asbestos sheet was inside the blower or on top, but it was definitely there.

Any washer-dryer made before the 1980s would be suspect until proven otherwise in my book.

Gyrafoam: please don't cast doubt on the cause of death here. Mesothelioma is an asbestos cancer. You don't get it without exposure to asbestos. The world's largest asbestos mines were here in Australia, as were several huge companies who sold the stuff around the world, including well after they knew it was harmful.
Asbestos exposure is a lottery. Here in Australia we had workers in the asbestos mine who came home every day with the stuff on their clothes. Their wives shook out the dusty work clothes before washing them. There have been several cases where the mine workers survived to old age but their wives died a horrendous death from mesothelioma from dust on the husband's work clothes. It is a lethal lottery.

My father had huge exposure to asbestos both in the air force at the end of WW2 and later in the building industry as a carpenter and foreman on large construction sites. He built our family home which had an asbestos roof and asbestos cladding on sheds in the back yard. I helped him demolish those sheds and replace the roof with corrugated iron in the 1980s. Dad now has asbestos scarring to his lungs which cause him some shortness of breath, but fortunately he does not have mesothelioma. He is 90 years old now so he will reach his use by date before the asbestos gets him. He is one of the lucky ones.

 

[keymatic3203]

as someone

who enjoys restoring old appliances, this is a subject I've thought about off and on over the years. I am not claiming a great knowledge asbestos or mesothelioma, but have worked on bendix washing machines manufactured from the 50's to the 80's.

It may be worth remembering the bendix machines were manufactured in Italy by philco from about 1970, and bendix dryers from the 60's by Fisholow, so maybe checking out those manufactures too, and yes the uk colston machines mentioned above were made by Riba and could have also been sold under the bendix brand, and yes they had this small layer over the heater box, about the size of a postcard, but most repairs wouldn't have involved disturbing that.

I don't have any literature, to back this up,and I can't speak for the 60's tumble dryers, but I can't think there was any in the washing machines from the 50's and 60's, the only insulation was a bitumin type material on the cabinet as sound deadening, they used a multiplate clutch withing the gearbox and had no brake so I can't think there was any in those machine, the big 60's lt washer dryer, again I think had ceramic mountings on the elements, and i can't remember any thermal insulation.

Just to compare with similar american products, our were limited to 13amps, 3kw, where as they could have been much higher rated in the US, so ours wouldn't have run as hot, thus not requiring such insulation. I know the 50's Westinghouse dryers had a lot of lagging, but our english electric dryers, based on the space mates, don't have any heat insulation at all.

So what am I saying, this is only my thoughts, I don't think he would have been at any great exposure from the any of the washing machines, 60's washer dryers, but can say for the 60's dryers or 70's washer dryers.

Personally, when thinking of vintage appliances, I feel there is a much greater risk from older toasters, hairdryers, convector heaters and some irons than washing machines, so I don't collect or work on those. But I know it can only take one fibre, but others have worked in great exposure and not suffered. When I think of all the old crumbling cement asbestos roofing that's about, I to helped dad take down all the gutters and down pipes around our house. leave alone what was in the air from brake pads of cars, truck and trains.

So back to the gentleman you're working for, did he also work on heaters, toasters, and other such appliances where his exposure may have been greater than whilst working on washing machines.

I don't know if any of what I've said helps and I'm more than willing to be corrected if I've said anything wrong, but I hope you manage to find some answers for the family of the gentleman you're representing.

Mathew

 

[servischris]

Asbestos in Bendix machines

Hello, I own three different vintage Bendix branded machines.

One is a mid 60s Washer Dryer (Model LT - as pictured). Its currently being restored, and I do have a service manual for it. Ive gone through it for all dis assembly etc info for the dryer assembly but I havent noticed a mention of asbestos. I havent taken the dryer assembly apart. There is also a little cover, dont know what its made of covering the wash heating element, (Can be seen between two counterweights at the 6o clock position) and in the side panels are some stuck on pieces of black material which I can only assume is supposed to be sound insulation. I will get some better photos of the machine later in the week.

I believe the service manual has been scanned and uploaded to this site by another user, however I am happy to scan my copy if its a different variation as well.

The other two Bendix badged machines I own are a lot later and are both standard washing machines. One is made by Philco in Italy (Model Bendix 7147B), and the other is a compact washing machine made by Eudora in Austria(model 7159), both date from the 80's. Im certain the 7159 will not contain asbestos, Id be suprised if the 7147B does.

If you wish to see photos of the other two, inside etc am happy to grab images.

Hope this is of some use.

Chris

 

[rolls_rapide]

Suspension Friction Dampers?

What about friction damper pads on the suspension?
Would they have ever contained asbestos?

 

[servischris]

@rolls_rapide

I believe some machines contained asbestos in friction dampers, however the Bendix machines I am familiar with (model LT and the Philco machines) have actual shock absorbers.

Chris

 

[keymatic3203]

Hi Rolls

I'd forgotten about the friction pads, they may have done way back, not sure about the philco/bendix pads.

But thinking about it, other makes may well have it in clutch components,such as parnall and hotpoint toploaders and hoover keymatic wide body machines, as well as brake pads on most spindryers.

Chris, as I said above I think that black paneling is as you say for sound insulation and I think is a more bitumin material. I can't remember what the covering over the water heater is, I certainly can't remember thinking it was possibly asbestos, and there would be no need for it to be as it's only for electrical insulation, keep fingers away as it's just above the sump filter.

Though I also add to my previous thoughts, even if some parts are insulated with asbestos, most repairs on these machines wouldn't have involved disturbing these parts.

Maybe, one further question to ask is if this gentleman worked on other brands of appliance as well.

Great to see the LT coming along, complete with new door gasket.

And Rolls, washed 5 loads in my rapide yesterday.

Mathew

 

[rolls_rapide]

"washed 5 loads in my Rapide yesterday..."

Good stuff!

 

[gyrafoam]

Chris

I understand what you are saying. That is why I said it would be different for people who actually worked in the asbestos industry manufacturing it.

Just pointing out how it surrounded most of us here in the US for decades and in many instances, it still does.

 

[yogitunes]

disc brake pads are still made with asbestos.....

quick, everyone, run for your lives.....

just to think, if you walked into an auto parts stores, theres hundreds of pads in there....not to mention the workers dropping like flies

and think of us mechanics who handle them with our bare hands....

not to mention the brake dust all over my gleaming aluminum wheels that I wash off...

and every time I apply my brakes, I am flooding the very air you breathe with asbestos particles.....

well, at least it takes me away from my hobby of trying to destroy the ozone layer with my aerosol spray cans....

amazing what people will find to panic over.....

 

[rolls_rapide]

"disc brake pads are still made with asbestos"

I don't believe they are made of asbestos.

The black dust comes from the carbon graphite component. There are apparently, a mixture of materials used to get the desired braking coefficient. Thus, modern pads can be a mixture of materials, but not asbestos.

http://https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_pad#Materials

 

[kb0nes]

To find a name brand brake pad with asbestos in it today is pretty unlikely unless you have something that is 25+ years old NOS. It is possible if you are buying imported parts that they may have some asbestos content. Organics went way down when the semi-met pads came into favor and asbestos was largely replaced with Kevlar.

Still a bad idea to be working on a brake and whip out the air hose...

 

[yogitunes]

yes....but for how many years was asbestos being used for brakes?....

asbestos production is alive in well, in Asbest, Russia......

while banned in many countries, they supply over half of the worlds production....

someone has to be buying and using it!

and will take them a long time to realize what it is doing to humans...

 

[launderess]

"Just pointing out how it surrounded most of us here in the US for decades and in many instances, it still does."

Quite right! This goes doubly true for us who collect and or use vintage household appliances and laundry accessories.

Ironing board pads, iron rests, ironing board covers, insulation for wiring and or around anything that generated heat,

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/0rUAAOSw-0xYWFPf/s-l300.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/99/67/a7/9967a76eae4cd940bcfbf7bd886bf5c3.jpg



If you have one of these vintage Presto "Vapo-Steam" irons, the iron rest has asbestos.

https://picclick.com/Vintage-National-Pressure-Cooker-Presto-Model-S-10-Automatic-221810503140.html

Upshot is long as the stuff is not disturbed you *should* be fine. But how safe I should wonder.

http://https//www.flickr.com/photos/asbestos_pix/3608579169/in/photostream/

 

[gizmo]

Yogitunes

disc brakes are NOT still made with asbestos. It has been banned from automotive use since the 1990s in most "civilized" countries, including yours and mine. It has been a perennial problem for component suppliers and car designers - all the asbestos replacements used for brake and clutch linings have problems, such as squealing, rapid wear, fading, and so on. Asbestos was the perfect material for brake and clutch linings. It just happened to be deadly. Lots of brake and clutch mechanics have died from mesothelioma too.

Some cheap Chinese cars went on sale in Australia about 5 years ago. They were allegedly manufactured to comply with Australian regulations but it turned out later that they had an asbestos exhaust manifold gasket.There was a big fuss about it, whether to force a recall or not. It was decided in the end that it wasn't worth the risk to the mechanics to recall them and swap gaskets, it was better to leave the gaskets undisturbed and place warning stickers in the engine bay. Owners could still choose to return their car for gasket swaps if they wanted.

Of the two brands affected, one has disappeared from the Aussie market now.