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Los Angeles County Water and Electric

Located at Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles County Water and Electric used oil and coal in the manufacturing of electricity. It is the largest municipal utility in the United States, supplying nearly four million homes and businesses. Los Angeles County Water and Electric has been in business for over 100 years. As such a large utility, it is not immune to the problems that have dogged the power community for years.

Dangers of Working in a Power Plant

None of us want to live without power, and power must be generated in power plants. Our ever increasing demands for electricity increase the amount of power that must be produced. We often take for granted the process that is necessary to generate power, but it is important to realize that the production of electricity is an integral part of our life, without willing workers in power plants, all of our lives would be dramatically different.

Electricity is typically generated locally, in towns and cities. The electricity then travels on lines to the homes in the area. Each power plant, particularly a large utility such as Los Angeles County Water and Electric, employs a variety of people with specific jobs and skills. While some of the people working in the plant, such as the dispatcher, do not have much hands on contact with the process of generating power, many others, such as those that operate the machinery in the plant, have a labor intensive, and potentially dangerous job. Anyone that works in a power plant can be at risk of asbestos exposure, one of the primary dangers of working in power plants.

Working in a power plant is gruelling work. The process of producing electricity requires that the plant operate 24 hours a day. Each shift waits until their replacement shows up before they have completed work for the day. This ensures a consistent and reliable source of electricity. Working in a power plant requires a good deal of skill and training. There are a number of obvious risks associated with working in a power plant. The high stacks used to burn fossil fuels could lead to falls, and any work around electricity poses the risk of electrocution. These well known risks are offset by the reasoning that power plant workers typically make a good wage and have a dependable job.

Another risk, not so well known, for those working in power plants, such as Los Angeles County Water and Power, was the risk of exposure to asbestos. This risk, unfortunately, led to many power plant workers developing the two diseases commonly associated with asbestos exposure, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Power plant workers, working closely with asbestos fibers were in the position of being easily exposed to the fibers. Asbestos fibers, once released into the air, were inhaled or ingested by the workers at the power plant.

Is Asbestos Exposure Still a Concern in Power Plants?

The reason for asbestos exposure prior to 1978 was because it was not widely known what problems were associated with asbestos exposure. Workers were not only constantly exposed to asbestos, but they also did not wear any sort of protective face covering or breathing apparatus to protect from asbestos in the air.

Now that the dangers of asbestos exposure is widely known, there is no reason for someone to be exposed to asbestos. While many of the power plants that were in operation in past decades are still in operation, and still contain asbestos, anyone working in the area should know that asbestos-containing products are in the area and what they should do to protect themselves, including wearing respirators or HEPA filter face masks provided by their employer.

               

Why Asbestos Was Used in Power Plant

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that protects against heat and flame. It has been used for hundreds of years to protect those working around open fire and extreme heat. The only mineral that can be woven into cloth, asbestos was used to make protective clothing that the workers in power plants used to protect themselves from the extreme heat and flames generated during the power manufacturing process. Asbestos is also resistant to electrical currents, which made it particularly well suited for use in a power plant. Asbestos, because it is a naturally occurring mineral, is also readily available, which made it an attractive choice for companies that needed to protect their workers from heat.

Asbestos was also used in many parts of the power plant. Again, because of its ability to withstand heat and flame, asbestos was often included in insulation and the linings of pipes and duct work. The extensive use of asbestos is the reason that many people employed by power plants suffered from asbestos exposure.

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