Oklahoma Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

Oil production was once a main industry in Oklahoma but the state now primarily utilizes aircraft, agriculture and telecommunications businesses. As late as 2005, Oklahoma relied upon petroleum processing for more than 15 percent of its revenue and unfortunately this industry is one of the most hazardous for employees when it comes to asbestos exposure. To protect against heat and flame dangers in the production process, refineries depended heavily upon asbestos, which was an outstanding resource with excellent availability and cost effectiveness.

Exposure to asbestos occurs when asbestos fibers of became airborne where they can be inhaled or ingested, overtime causing an asbestos-related illness. The toxic mineral was also often carried into homes on worker's clothing and hair, exposing family and friends as well. Eventually, many of those exposed acquire lung cancer, and an often fatal disease called mesothelioma. It is estimated that, during the first 75 years of the 1900s, 300,000 to 600,000 tons of asbestos (or 1-2 percent of the country's total) were used in Oklahoma's building materials. It is also estimated that up to 90 percent of asbestos is still in place. (Asbestos is not considered immediately dangerous as long as it remains "sealed" and undisturbed.)

At Risk Occupations and Locations in Oklahoma

Not only were petroleum processing plant and construction workers exposed to asbestos in Oklahoma, employees in power plants and shipyards also faced harmful conditions. Many job sites have been identified as having a great amount of asbestos or asbestos-handling duties. These include Ultramar Diamond in Ponca City, Conoco in Ardmore, Sinclair Oil and Sunoco in Tulsa, and Gary-Williams Energy in Wynnewood.

Boilermakers, ship fitters, pipe fitters, brake mechanics and maintenance workers in various manufacturing industries were placed at highest risk, although exposure was not limited to these occupations. Plus, workers who processed asbestos dust from vermiculite, an ore shipped in from Libby, Montana, also faced great risk. Between 1948 and 1993, this mine shipped their product to more than 25 locations across the country, including three Oklahoma towns. The asbestos-byproduct dust was carried through communities, affecting people in Oklahoma City, Duke and Southard locations.

In June 2004, the Oklahoma Daily News reported asbestos residue on the University of Oklahoma campus in two different buildings- in Kaufman Hall and Gittinger Hall. It was removed properly and was not considered a threat to students.

Asbestos Related Deaths in Oklahoma

Oklahoma reported double the amount fatalities from mesothelioma as from asbestosis (another harmful lung disease) during a documented study period beginning in 1979. It was found that 334 inhabitants died as a result of asbestos exposure (70 percent from mesothelioma), with most of the patients residing around Oklahoma City and Tulsa. When compared to the rest of the country, Oklahoma ranks 31st for the number of mesothelioma cases.

Legal Resources for Oklahoma Residents

As far as recent cases in the Oklahoma Federal District Court system, none are associated with asbestos-related, personal injury liabilities. However there have been others in the past. In 2007, Gertrude Lowe filed a lawsuit in Madison County's Circuit Court, alleging indirect exposure from against asbestos on her husband and father's clothing. They had been exposed through their employment with the army. Her case was filed against 107 defendants, who she claimed intentionally used asbestos, knowing their danger, and then later destroyed all evidence.

Earlier that same year, another resident, Lisa Rawlings, filed a suit against 84 companies for her mesothelioma diagnosis. Her family members were employed in the auto mechanic and welding trades, and she alleged they brought asbestos dust home in their clothing. This case's lack of evidence, she also claimed, was due to the companies' destruction of pertinent information. These two cases followed one in which 30 defendant corporations were named for negligence, conspiracy, willful and wanton acts, and negligent spoliation of evidence regarding a 30 year veteran of the pipe-making industry. The plaintiff, Randy Stone, died 5 days after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis. The case is still under litigation.

Throughout the rest of the state, asbestos removal is handled according to OSHA and EPA regulations and the Oklahoma Department of Labor, Asbestos Department. Oklahoma's Department of Central Services attempts to reduce asbestos exposure through the Asbestos Division's consultation and regulation. Some legal experts suggest that Oklahoma victims of asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma, who believe they have a case, file law suits in a state other than Oklahoma. This is due to a belief that the state's monetary settlements are lower and may prevent a plaintiff from receiving what they should be compensated.

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