01. Asbestos Risk for Industrial Workers
How Are Industrial Workers Exposed to Asbestos?
Asbestos played a prominent role in many factories and plants for much of the 20th century. The mineral had desirable qualities, such as heat and chemical resistance.
It was commonly used in industrial products. These materials often have to endure high temperatures and/or corrosive chemicals.
As a result, asbestos was found in thousands of products handled regularly by industrial workers. Due to this widespread use, many trades within the industry continue to be at risk of exposure.
Industrial workers may have been exposed to asbestos from many of their duties. Actions that may have exposed workers to asbestos include:
- Forging metals
- Extracting metals from ores
- Casting liquid materials
- Sandblasting and other surface polishing
- Oil refining
- Smelting metals
- Welding and soldering
- Cutting, stamping or molding metals
These and other job duties put many individuals at risk of occupational asbestos exposure. When exposed to asbestos, people may develop asbestos cancers or other related diseases.
What Asbestos Products Put Industrial Workers at Risk?
Many asbestos products were used to assist with industrial workers’ job responsibilities. For example, oil refining required asbestos-insulated gaskets to connect pipes transporting crude oil.
Products that may have exposed industrial workers to asbestos include:
- Adhesives
- Asbestos cement
- Asbestos textiles
- Asbestos ceiling and floor tiles
- Boilers
- Caulking compounds
- Construction products
- Fire-resistant materials (e.g., fire blankets)
- Gaskets
- Insulation
- Joint cement
- Personal protective equipment (e.g., asbestos gloves)
- Pipes
- Pipe coverings
- Pipe insulation
- Pipe wrappings
- Plastics
- Pumps
- Refractory products
- Roofing materials
- Valves
- Vinyl sheet backings
These products were used in industrial machinery throughout numerous jobsites. Many industrial buildings also contained asbestos. As a result, industrial workers are at risk of exposure from machinery and building materials.
These products were manufactured by many asbestos companies. The following companies either:
- Manufactured asbestos materials and products and/or
- Used asbestos materials and products in their facilities
Asbestos companies may have exposed thousands of industrial workers to the material. As a result, industrial workers may develop asbestos illnesses, such as mesothelioma.
Common Places Asbestos Is Found in Industrial Settings
Many American manufacturers, power plants and factories used asbestos in their products. The mineral was also used throughout the buildings themselves. As a result, workers were often at high risk of asbestos exposure.
Locations in the workplace that often exposed industrial workers include:
- Boiler rooms
- Ceilings
- Construction sites
- Demolition sites
- Manufacturing floors
Any area with asbestos materials can be an asbestos exposure location. When asbestos is disturbed, fibers can become airborne. Workers may then be at risk of inhaling or ingesting the mineral. Poorly ventilated or enclosed areas are especially dangerous because fibers may concentrate in the air, increasing the likelihood of inhalation.
However, there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Even low levels of exposure can lead to asbestos diseases, such as mesothelioma or asbestosis.
Industrial Workers and At-Risk Trades
Many trades fall under the industrial worker umbrella. As a result, the number of industrial workers with asbestos exposure is difficult to estimate. For example, individuals who worked in the power plant industry may also be considered industrial workers.
At-risk industrial trades include:
- Electricians
- Industrial machinery erectors
- Insulators
- Furnace operators
- Machine operators
- Maintenance and repair workers
- Mechanics
- Millwrights
- Molders
- Pipefitters
- Welders
These professionals may have been exposed during their daily work. They could also have come into contact with the mineral around asbestos-contaminated jobsites.
For example, maintenance mechanics were responsible for repairing machinery and replacing worn-out parts. As a result, they may come into contact with asbestos pumps, valves or gaskets.
To replace these components, workers would often cut or grind the pieces for removal or to ensure the tight fit of new parts. These employees also cut, drilled and scraped asbestos materials during routine maintenance.
Industrial workers also risked exposing other people in their lives to asbestos. Workers could carry fibers home on their clothing, person and belongings. This potentially brought family members and loved ones in contact with the mineral.
This is known as secondary asbestos exposure. Individuals who experience secondary exposure are also at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases.
02. Mesothelioma Risk for Industrial Workers
Mesothelioma Risk for Industrial Workers
Employees in industrial settings often repeatedly came into contact with asbestos products. As a result, industrial workers were susceptible to developing asbestos-related diseases.
Industrial occupations and asbestos diseases have been the subject of much research. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data from 1999 showed industrial and chemical workers had the highest mesothelioma mortality ratio of all occupations. Further data from the same year examined disease incidence among men in different occupational groups. Workers in industrial occupations were found to have an increased risk of peritoneal mesothelioma.
In the 1980s, government agencies began to prohibit certain asbestos practices. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enacted asbestos rules and regulations to protect workers.
However, the long latency of asbestos diseases means exposed workers may develop illnesses for years to come. Recent data from 2020 confirms industrial workers across sectors showed increased mortality from pleural issues. This includes peritoneal mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.
“Among men, we found a significant increase in risk associated with employment in manufacturing industries, such as industrial and miscellaneous chemicals; miscellaneous non-metallic mineral and stone products; construction and material handling machines; and electrical machinery, equipment, and supplies; as well as in services to dwellings and other buildings.”
These studies prove the dangerous connection between industrial workers and asbestos health risks.
03. Compensation for Industrial Workers
Compensation for Victims of Occupational Asbestos Exposure
Industrial workers diagnosed with an asbestos disease after occupational exposure may pursue compensation. Potential options for compensation include legal actions or workers’ compensation claims.
Industrial workers seeking compensation from asbestos companies may choose to file a lawsuit or an asbestos trust fund claim.
Large industrial manufacturers may experience thousands of asbestos claims each year. As a result, many of them have set up trust funds to handle and pay successful claimants. Industrial companies with trust funds include A.P. Green Industries, Halliburton Company and Owens-Corning Fiberglas.
Mesothelioma lawsuits may also result in compensation. This can happen through a courtroom verdict or an out-of-court settlement with the company.
These cases are a few instances where industrial workers were able to hold asbestos companies accountable. An experienced mesothelioma law firm can help other industrial workers decide which legal option best suits their situation.
