Power plants and steel mills: Pennsylvania’s long history of asbestos use

In 1999, Pennsylvania lost 162 people to mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure. Since then, the mesothelioma death rate has steadily increased (CDC) (Modernmedicine.com).

When you, or your parents, grew up in your home town in the keystone state, you may have been exposed while working in the steel mills, the power plants, the mines, or other places that contained heavy amounts of asbestos.

As part of weitzlux.com’s ongoing commitment to providing people, like yourself, with helpful information about the asbestos problem in the United States, we have put together this page about the asbestos issue as it pertains to Pennsylvania.

Asbestos statistics in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is ranked No. 4 out of all states in the nation for asbestos-related deaths, according to the study.

At least 3,046 people in Pennsylvania died from asbestos exposure between 1979 and 2001. Examined city by city, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the urban centers most affected.

Pennsylvania also has five counties on the government’s list of the Top 100 counties recording deaths due to asbestos. They are: Philadelphia County (ranked No. 3), Delaware County (No. 13); Allegheny County (No. 16); Montgomery County (No. 17) and Lancaster County (No. 84). (EWG.org)

Shipyard workers, construction workers, auto mechanics and military veterans are at the greatest risk for asbestos poisoning, as these are the occupations in which asbestos use has been most prevalent.

History of asbestos use in Pennsylvania

Henry W. Johns started manufacturing asbestos in the mid-1800’s. Because of Pennsylvania’s growing steel mills and oil references of the time, asbestos (given its fire retardant properties) was extremely valuable (FundingUniverse).

Decades later, as the power plant industries boomed in Pennsylvania, asbestos use became even more rampant.

In addition, the substance was mined in the state due to Pennsylvania’s high levels of naturally occurring serpentine asbestos deposits.

Since the 1800’s, the companies that mined, manufactured, distributed, and sold asbestos knew of its dangers. Low survival rates for workers in asbestos mines may have been one of the first signs that the substance was lethal. Internal tests in the 1930’s conducted on workers in the Johns-Manville manufacturing company showed that out of 780 workers tested, 534 had lung changes. These changes were later known as asbestosis (Multinationalmonitor.org).

Pennsylvania shipyards

Asbestos was used heavily in shipbuilding. Because of Pennsylvania’s many shipyards, thousands of shipyard workers were exposed to asbestos.

Here is a list of the shipyards in Pennsylvania to help you remember where you may have been exposed:

The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Sun Shipbuilding Shipyard
The Bethlehem Steel Shipyard
The Chester Pennsylvania Shipyard

How Weitz & Luxenberg can help

Weitz & Luxenberg is a major law firm based in New York City, but we are available to help individuals, like yourself, from all over the country. We are familiar with the asbestos problem in Pennsylvania, and are currently helping people like you or your family members seek financial compensation from the negligent companies that made them ill.

Collectively, Weitz & Luxenberg has secured more than $3 billion for people with asbestos-related illnesses.

Financial compensation can help cover medical bills, travel costs, and can provide overall financial stability for you and your family. To get started, contact Weitz & Luxenberg by filling out the form on this page. After submitting the form, a representative from our firm will be in touch within 24 hours.

Sources

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-111/pdfs/2003-111h.pdf

Modernmedicine.com: http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Nursing/ArticleNewsFeed/article/detail/595195

Multinationalmonitor.org: http://multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/issues/1987/04/asbestos.html

EWG.org: http://www.ewg.org/sites/asbestos/maps/government_data.php?fips=42000

FundingUniverse: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Johns-Manville-Corporation-Company-History.html