Welders often faced asbestos from several sources at once. The pipes and vessels they joined were frequently wrapped in asbestos insulation, and that insulation had to be removed before any work could begin. The fire protection around them, including blankets, curtains, gloves, and pads, often contained asbestos because the mineral resists heat. Many welders also worked in shipyards, steel mills, and power plants, where other trades kept asbestos dust in the air. According to the National Cancer Institute’s asbestos fact sheet, most mesothelioma cases are thought to stem from asbestos exposure, and related diseases can take decades to appear.
Asbestos Welding Blankets, Gloves, and Welding Rods
For many years, asbestos was standard equipment in the welding trade. Welding blankets and curtains released fibers as they aged, frayed, and scorched. Asbestos gloves and sleeves protected hands and arms from sparks and spatter, and asbestos pads and boards were placed behind hot joints. Some welding rods and electrodes also had asbestos in their coatings. Welders handled this gear all day long. They draped it over the work, dragged it across decks and floors, and shook or beat it to clean it. Worn asbestos fabric sheds fibers easily. In many shops, crews shared the same gear from shift to shift, which spread the fibers to everyone who used it.
How Welders Were Exposed to Asbestos on Job Sites
Insulation had to be removed from a pipe or vessel before it could be cut or welded. Sometimes an insulator removed it, but welders often stripped it themselves, quickly and without wetting it down. Torch cutting through material that still had asbestos residue sent dust into the plume rising past the welder’s face, and grinding out old welds on insulated equipment spread that residue even farther. In engine rooms, boiler rooms, and other mechanical spaces, welders also worked shoulder to shoulder with insulators, boilermakers, and pipefitters who were raising dust of their own. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry warns that asbestos exposure can lead to serious and sometimes fatal illness. The National Cancer Institute adds that the evidence suggests there is no safe level of exposure.
Pennsylvania Shipyards, Steel Mills, and Refineries That Employed Welders
Pennsylvania needed welders wherever steel met steam. The Delaware River shipyards, including Sun Shipbuilding in Chester, put large numbers of production welders to work inside tight hulls. The state’s steel industry, from the Bethlehem Steel plants to the mills of the Monongahela Valley, depended on welders for fabrication and constant repair work. Refineries, power plants, construction sites, and fabrication shops also often appear in welders’ work histories. Skilled welders often moved from job to job throughout their careers, and each shop had its own blankets, gaskets, and dust. Welding is listed in our occupations with asbestos exposure index, and we cover related trades on our pages for boilermakers and steel mill workers.
Secondhand Asbestos Exposure: Take-Home Dust and Family Mesothelioma Risk
A welder’s leathers, cap, gloves, and boots picked up dust from almost everything he touched. The National Cancer Institute reports evidence that family members of heavily exposed workers may face a higher mesothelioma risk from fibers carried home on shoes, clothing, skin, and hair. Even if the welder in your family has passed away, this take-home exposure may still matter for a spouse’s or child’s diagnosis.
Mesothelioma Lawsuits and Asbestos Trust Claims for Welders
A welder’s asbestos claim is built on employers, job sites, and the products used there. These products include the insulation stripped from pipes and vessels, the asbestos textiles worn on the job, and the gaskets and packing found in the shops. The companies that made these products are usually the defendants, and many have established asbestos bankruptcy trusts. A 2011 U.S. Government Accountability Office report on asbestos trusts found that dozens of these trusts held billions of dollars in combined assets. Pennsylvania has strict filing deadlines for both personal injury and wrongful death claims, and the clock may start sooner than many families expect. Writing down the work history while memories are still fresh can make a real difference.
Free Mesothelioma Case Review for Pennsylvania Welders and Families
If a welding career may be behind a mesothelioma diagnosis in your family, request a free case review. We will walk through the job sites with you, one location and one year at a time.