Nucor Corporation
The beginnings of the Nucor Corporation are linked to the founder of one of America's great automobiles, the Oldsmobile. In 1905, the creator of this car, Ransom E. Olds, had a few disagreements with his stockholders and left Oldsmobile to form Reo Motor Cars, which would later merge with Nuclear Consultants, Inc. and form Nuclear Corporation of America – Nucor, for short. The company entered the steel industry in 1969 with one mini mill in Darlington, South Carolina.
Today, Nucor is the largest producer of steel in the U.S., with a capacity of more than 26 million tons per year. One of the world's top steel recyclers, the company produces steel bars, steel reinforcing bars, structural steel, steel joists and girders, and steel decks, all using scrap as their primary feedstock. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nucor boasts 200 operating facilities throughout the U.S. including those that operate under the Harris Steel and David J. Joseph Company, which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Nucor. The company employs about 21,000 individuals, many of whom are paid based on performance.
Nucor Corporation and Asbestos
Nucor Corporation stresses their dedication to the safety of their workers, recognizing that steel mills can be dangerous places to work. It isn't unusual for accidents to occur within these facilities and, sometimes, these incidents are life-changing or even fatal. In addition, the toxic chemicals and other materials that were once used in steel mills, including asbestos, had a lasting effect on those who were exposed to them on a daily basis.
Individuals in a wide variety of positions came in contact with asbestos regularly. Those who worked as furnace operators, pourers, casters, tenders, and machine inspectors are all likely to have inhaled asbestos fibers at one time or another. Asbestos may have been found in:
- Blast furnaces
- Steel converters
- Mixing furnaces
- Steel casting and hot strip mills
- Boilers (in on-site power plants)
- Brakes (in on-site cranes)
Furthermore, companies like Nucor Corporation used to issue asbestos-containing clothing to steelworkers in their employ in order to protect them from burns. Items that included aprons, leggings, gloves, and even masks were worn without the knowledge that they may have been doing more harm than good.
Nucor Corporation and Asbestos Litigation
In 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a complaint against Nucor, alleging that the company violated environmental statutes at one or more of their 14 steel plants across the country. The complaint stated that Nucor's mini-mills and fabrication operations "generate significant amounts of certain criteria air pollutants: Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Volatile Organic Compounds, and Particulate Matter. Other pollutants include: water pollutants, including biochemical oxygen demand, oil and grease, total suspended solids and zinc... and other hazardous and solid wastes attendant to the steel manufacturing and fabrication processes."
Such violations have long been common in the steel industry and workers are regularly placed in harm's way due to the very nature of the business. Similarly, in years past, Nucor used insulating asbestos materials throughout their facilities and those who were employed during that era (about 1940 to 1980) came into daily contact with asbestos dust. Any inhalation of this dust may have caused pulmonary damage, including the eventual development of mesothelioma cancer.
Resources for Metal Workers
Asbestos exposure is a serious matter and literally millions of workers in the metalwork industry and dozens of other industries were exposed to the material before its use was essentially halted in the late 1970s. Hence, it's important for anyone who believes they were exposed to asbestos at Nucor to take the time to schedule regular medical exams in order to monitor their health, especially when pulmonary problems arise that could potentially be associated with exposure.
Workers with a history of asbestos exposure can contact a Patient Advocate at the Mesothelioma Center to ask questions about exposure risk, treatment options, and to request resources. Call (800) 615-2270 to speak to a Patient Advocate directly or fill out the form on this page to request more information.
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
