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Return to Asbestos BlogBefore the modern era of asbestos being synonymous with words like deadly, this mineral was more closely associated with positive words, such as popular, useable, and plentiful, spanning various countries as well as a multi-thousand-year history of use. Unfortunately, this rich history of asbestos use has come with a high cost of poor health effects for those who have been exposed to this natural mineral in its various forms. Among those who have been exposed and may be at risk are steel mill workers. If you or someone you know have worked in the steel mill industry, here’s what you need to know about asbestos exposure risks.
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If you believe that you were exposed to asbestos, even as a child, speak to a healthcare provider about tests and screening to help diagnose lung-scarring and screen for asbestos-related diseases.
Steel Mill Workers and the Risks of Asbestos Exposure
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, steel, and structural ironworkers are involved with raising, placing, and uniting iron and steel girders, columns, and structural frameworks. Prefabricated metal buildings and metal storage tanks are also part of this industry. However, there is also an entire industry of steel mill workers who are involved in the actual production of steel- those who are involved in melting, molding, and forming iron. These workers are frequently involved in utilizing furnaces, rolling and finishing machines, and various other equipment.
As of May 2022, steel workers in the United States are the most prevalent in coastal states such as Florida, California, and Washington, as well as the most well-known area of United States manufacturing, the “rust belt” region, including Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, among others. As many know, even the Pittsburgh Steelers football team in America, founded in 1933, received a name change from the Pirates to the Steelers in 1940, in order to identify the team with the strong presence of the steel mill industry in that city.
“The overall evidence suggests there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.”Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)1 |
Why Asbestos Was Used in Steel Mill Facilities and Products
Going back to what we said earlier about the popularity and availability of asbestos, the way that asbestos made its way into the steel mill industry is easy to understand. Serpentine and amphibole asbestos, the two main groups of asbestos, can be categorized into six main types, based on their color and fiber shape: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite.
“Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after exposure.”Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)2 |
Colors, Shapes, and Types of Asbestos
Not only do these different colors and fiber shapes help to differentiate one type of asbestos from another, but they also help determine which type of asbestos is best for different industry applications. For example, some varieties of asbestos are better for insulation products, whereas others are good for spray-on coating applications. But what is the benefit of using asbestos in different products and manufacturing processes? The main answer to this has to do with the durability of asbestos. Asbestos is resistant to many things that other materials are quite susceptible to, such as corrosion, heat and fire, water solubility, and electrical conductivity. Because of the different forms of asbestos, it can easily be sprayed onto other materials as a protective coating, or woven into materials to increase strength and resistance properties. Effectively, asbestos gave impressive properties to other materials- and all in a relatively inexpensive process.
Why Asbestos Exposure before 1989 is Probable
Due to this approach to using asbestos, it became a main staple in most factories, shipyards, foundries, and refineries- not to mention residential and military sites as well. Effectively, most worksites at the height of asbestos use, before the Environmental Protection Agency banned most uses in 1989, contained asbestos throughout their facility. Occupational exposure was not only possible, but it was also virtually guaranteed.
The risks of asbestos exposure to steel mill workers can include:
| Mesothelioma: cancer of the mesothelium, the thin layer of tissue surrounding the body’s organs. This cancer is only known to be caused by asbestos exposure. | Lung cancer |
| Laryngeal cancer: cancer of the larynx (section of the throat called the voicebox) | Ovarian cancer |
| Stomach cancer | Colon cancer |
| Pharyngeal cancer | Asbestosis: a chronic lung disease associated with asbestos exposure |
| Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) | Atelectasis (collapsed lung) |
| Pleural effusion (collection of fluid around the lungs) | Pericardial effusion (collection of fluid around the heart) |
Asbestos Exposure Risks for Steel Mill Workers
But what made asbestos exposure such a danger was not simply the prevalence of asbestos, but the fact that most people were unaware of the hazards of asbestos exposure. Workers were not warned by their employers of this risk, nor were they given adequate training or protective equipment to shield themselves from exposure.
What’s more, being exposed to asbestos is not an experience that can be easily identified by our senses. For one, asbestos has no taste or smell. Second, harmful asbestos fibers are microscopic to the naked eye. Third, asbestos exposure symptoms often take decades to begin appearing. This is known as the latency of asbestos and is part of the reason why those who worked in the steel mill industry prior to 1989 should be especially aware of the risks. Most latency time frames can take between 30 and upwards of 40 years for symptoms to begin appearing, meaning that those who were active during or before 1989 may be unaware of the connection that exists between newly experienced diseases or cancers and their prior career in the steel mill industry.
“Some asbestos fibers may bypass…your body’s natural defenses…and lodge deep within your lungs. Those fibers can remain in place for a very long time and may never be removed.”Source: American Lung Association |
Where the Risks of Asbestos Exposure Exist for Steel Mill Workers
There are really two things that should be considered when it comes to asbestos exposure risks for steel mill workers.
Asbestos in the Manufacturing Process
The first has to do with the immediate use of asbestos as an insulation material during the steel manufacturing process. As mentioned earlier, steel mills are places of excessive heat, and the machinery used has to be well-insulated to protect from heat and fire damage. Insulation of all types was commonly made with asbestos-containing materials because of how effective it was, plus it added the often overlooked quality of sound-dampening.
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Secondly, steel mills, as industrial facilities, were layered with asbestos. This applies from the roof shingles all the way down to the cement foundation and most walls and piping systems throughout the building structure. Asbestos was simply a material that checked all the boxes so it was used in the day-to-day operations of facilities, as well as the structure of the facilities themselves.
Even after the EPA ban in 1989, while the facilities began replacing the asbestos-containing materials used in their production process, this still didn’t solve the issue of working in facilities that were constructed with asbestos. That point makes contemporary workers in the steel mill industry remain at risk, especially as these older buildings begin to undergo damage that makes asbestos fibers friable, such as mold, water, and structural damage.
People who worked in these industries prior the mid-1980s have a higher risk of developing asbestos-related diseases:
| Construction | Factories | Foundries | Refineries | Shipyards | Mining / Milling |
| Demolition | Insulation | Steelworkers | Pipe Fitting | Shipbuilding | Mechanics |
 |  |  | |||
| Roofing | Textiles | Iron workers | Boilers | Firefighting | Brake Repair |
| Flooring | Cement | Electricians | Gasket Repair | Railroad | HVAC |
Unfortunately so do their families.
Legal Options and Compensation for Steel Mill Workers’ Asbestos Claims
The good news is, there are compensation options available for you if you have been exposed to asbestos and have contracted a disease or illness as a result. Even if you were a child or spouse of a steel mill worker, you may be entitled to compensation if you were exposed to asbestos from work clothing or tools that transferred asbestos fibers from the workplace and into your home. This is known as secondhand or secondary asbestos exposure.
The Speed and Ease of Trusts for Compensation
While asbestos claims come in different varieties, asbestos trusts are the easiest and often fastest way to receive compensation without the need to file a lawsuit and appear in court. This is because asbestos trusts are made of funds set aside by the industry to pay for asbestos victims. There are billions of dollars in unused asbestos trusts to date, with many of them related specifically to steel mill companies and others related to construction in general.
Over $30 Billion is still available (No lawsuit. No fees unless you receive money. No risk.) Stake your claim.  |
Don’t Wait, Reach Out to An Asbestos Claims Attorney Today
Getting in touch with an asbestos claims attorney is the best way to determine what kind of compensation you may be entitled to, and they can help you each step of the way. Best of all, an asbestos attorney won’t charge you a single penny unless you receive your compensation check, so there’s no risk involved.
AsbestosClaims.Law
Asbestos claims aren’t just a day in the office for Justinian C. Lane.
They’re a mission.
In the past, workers exposed to asbestos were kept in the dark about the dangers of asbestos exposure. Among those workers were Justinian’s grandparents and his own father.
Unfortunately, they were also kept in the dark about the compensation options available to them, such as asbestos lawsuits and trust funds. In their later years, they died from asbestos-related cancers.
Because no one in Justinian’s family knew their options, they never received any compensation for the death of their loved ones.
Today, we’re working to turn the tide.
Significant compensation may be available to you if you have contracted an asbestos-related illness or injury. This includes workers as well as family members who have been exposed.
Compensation is your key to receiving the medical treatment you need, funding asbestos removal services, and maintaining your physical well-being.
Want to know one of the quickest and easiest ways to receive compensation? Let us talk to you about asbestos trust claims. This option can often avoid lawsuits altogether.
We want to hear your story, and more importantly, we want to bring redemption to it.
Need help filing a claim? No problem, you can email us at [email protected].
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You won’t pay a penny to us unless you receive money first, so there’s no risk.
In addition to legal claims, veterans disability, social security and employment protection like workers compensation, FELA and The Jones Act for maritime workers, there are asbestos trusts that have been set up to compensate those harmed by asbestos without having to file a lawsuit.
The dangers of asbestos used to be an industry-guarded secret kept from suffering people like Justinian’s family. Not anymore. We’re bringing you the truth.
We’ve created numerous resources to help answer your questions and empower you with the information you need to know and act on.
Our website has a wealth of information dedicated to things like health and safety, asbestos testing, asbestos removal, and legal information about compensation for asbestos injuries.
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| Not sure where or when you were exposed to asbestos? Let W.A.R.D. help you! The Worldwide Asbestos Research Database (W.A.R.D) is the largest asbestos information database, period. If you need answers related to specific locations, products, or what type of compensation may be available to you due to asbestos exposure, W.A.R.D. is the place to start. |
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1 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
2 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
