Weitz & Luxenberg Provides Information on asbestos appliances

What are some of the appliances and machines that contained asbestos?

There are virtually countless amounts of appliances that utilized asbestos in some capacity, and even if used sparingly, it was enough to cause mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis for those who handled those appliances. Asbestos was primarily used as an insulator, which made it an ideal material for appliances and apparatuses that were prone to extreme heat. 

Weitz & Luxenberg has been offering legal assistance for twenty years and we have extensive understanding of the scope of the asbestos problem. We have created this page to familiarize you with some of the appliances and other materials that contained asbestos. If you have mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis, your handling of asbestos products is likely to blame. If you have any question or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Weitz & Luxenberg.

Cars

Few inventions have so revolutionized society the way the car has. Since it was first invented, it afforded people the opportunity to travel from place to place, and over the course of its many modifications, it acquired increased speed and overall better functionality. Asbestos was heavily used in the construction of machinery during the Industrial Revolution and by the 1960s and 1970s, “the bulk of foreign and domestic vehicles had asbestos insulation,” (NBC 12) or utilized asbestos in some other capacity.

Asbestos was found in the following car parts/areas:

• Brakes
• Brake pads
• Clutch Disks
• Pressure Plates
• Flywheels
• Hood Liners
• Valve Rings
• Seals
• Gaskets

For years, asbestos “was the ideal choice for many car manufacturers due to its flame resistant, durable and inexpensive qualities.” (Automotive Addicts) However, the asbestos problem is an ongoing one. To this day, “millions of brake pads and other car parts are on the market,” (NBC 12) thereby guaranteeing future generations of people ravaged by mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer, asbestosis and other asbestos related illnesses.

Ships:

Did you work on or participate in the construction of ships? Starting “in the 1930s and continuing into the 1980s, the United States Navy employed asbestos containing products in its ships and shipyards. Considering the important fire safety requirements aboard sea going vessels,” (ICDRI) asbestos was necessary to insulate heat sensitive areas such as engine and boiler rooms.  Navy workers who toiled below deck, such as boiler makers, “had to maintain, install and repair the asbestos insulated boilers, which frequently emitted asbestos fibers into the air through normal operations.” (ICDRI)

Asbestos pads were used in boiler rooms.  “These pads consisted of amosite, a type of asbestos, and were used to cover equipment that would get very hot. The pads were designed to be easily removed for routine maintenance.” (E How) These pads could also be used in insulate other areas of the ship, such as the ship’s bulkhead, the mess hall and even the sleeping quarters! The consequences of such unlimited use of asbestos were disastrous. Countless Navy personnel developed an asbestos related disease as a result of handling asbestos in their youth.

Pipes:

Asbestos, which was used primarily to insulate “water pipes in hundreds of thousands of homes and commercial buildings, posed a serious health threat to the plumbers and other workers that were called on to repair or replace those pipes.” (Cancer Monthly) Repair work required plumbers to “bend, cut, hammer or otherwise disturb asbestos fibers, causing them to become airborne.” This danger was compounded by the fact that many plumbers were not equipped with adequate protective gear, and the often worked in “tight, cramped spaces,” (Cancer Monthly) with little to no ventilation.

As a result of stringent regulations put in place by the likes of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asbestos has “been banned in new construction,” (Cancer Monthly) but this does not mean that today’s plumbers are entirely free of danger. If they were tasked with repairing or replacing pipes in older buildings and other structures, they could be exposed to asbestos and develop symptoms of mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis 20-50 years down the line.

Weitz & Luxenberg Can Get Justice for You

Are you a former asbestos worker who is suffering from an asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis?

Weitz & Luxenberg has been a leader in asbestos related litigation for over two decades. We have achieved more favorable verdicts and settlements for people just like you who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis following exposure to asbestos.  Our attorneys have the qualifications and experience necessary to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.

If you would like a free legal review of your mesothelioma case, please fill out the form on this page. All communication will be strictly confidential, and there is no fee unless we secure a monetary verdict or settlement for you.

Acknowledgements:

NBC 12: www.nbc12.com/story/12497463/asbestos-in-older-car-parts?redirected=true

ICDRI: www.icdri.org/Medical/Mesothelioma_Ship_Navy.htm

E How: www.ehow.com/list_7527794_bulkheads-made-asbestos.html