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Steel mill workers faced many health hazards, including exposure to asbestos in insulation, gaskets, boilers, brakes and protective gear. As a result of this exposure, steel mill workers suffer higher rates of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
Written by Michelle Whitmer | Legally Reviewed By Yvonne Waterman | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: June 17, 2024
Asbestos was used in steel mills as a common insulation material from the 1940s through the end of the 1970s. As a result, workers were exposed to this toxic material while performing their daily tasks. Asbestos exposure remains a danger for those working in buildings built before the 1980s or using equipment of that era, because many of the asbestos parts haven’t been replaced with non-asbestos materials.
Maintenance workers, machinists, pipefitters and boiler workers faced the highest risk of asbestos exposure in steel mills. Welders, blacksmiths, bricklayers, millwrights and motor inspectors also encountered asbestos on a regular basis. Regardless of the type of steel mill worker, exposure to asbestos was usually the direct result of handling machinery, equipment and material in the process of manufacturing steel.
Asbestos insulation was used in an abundance of steel mill equipment because it helped prevent fires and burns. This included ovens, hot blast stoves, furnaces, rolling mills, tanks, boilers, cranes, molding boards and steam pipes. Workers would inhale these asbestos fibers during the steel manufacturing process while feeding vessels scrap metal by crane, controlling machinery to melt the scrap metal, and adding other metal to give it the required chemical composition.
Workers in steel mills often wore asbestos protective garments, including coats, leggings, gloves, aprons, coveralls and face masks, to protect them from extreme temperatures and from burns while working with molten materials. After daily wear and tear on these protective garments, fibers within the clothing were released and could be inhaled by workers. Through regular use, clothing was also susceptible to cuts by pieces of sharp metal or machinery, which released extra fibers.
Steel mill workers were also exposed to asbestos particles even if they were not participating in the actual manufacturing of steel because so many materials contained asbestos. This included asbestos blankets used for covering ladles, which were often discarded on the pouring pit floor; building material such as refractory bricks on hot tops; floor and ceiling tiles; and liner boards.
Get help finding a top attorney who can get you the compensation you deserve.
Get Help NowSteel mill workers handled a wide range of asbestos products that prevented fires and injuries from the extremely high temperatures common in their workplace.
Asbestos-containing materials used in steel mills include floor tiles and ceiling tiles, liner boards and refractory bricks on hot tops. Asbestos cement was also a versatile building material found in steel mills.
Asbestos insulation could be found in equipment such as ovens, hot blast stoves, furnaces, rolling mills, tanks, boilers, cranes, molding boards and steam pipes. Asbestos packing, pipe wrap insulation and asbestos cement were among the most common forms of asbestos insulation in steel mills.
Brake pads, clutches, gaskets, valves and pumps all contained asbestos fibers to control heat and prevent damage to parts that had to withstand high temperatures.
Asbestos-containing materials were used in protective clothing such as gloves, aprons, coveralls and face masks. Employees who worked with furnaces and stood along the paths where molten metal flowed wore asbestos coats and leggings during the casting process.
The following manufacturers using asbestos in products produced asbestos materials that were handled by steel mill workers.
When workers inhaled asbestos fibers, some would become lodged in the lungs and pleural lining of the lungs, often causing scarring and damage that led to tumor formation later in life. Many workers were eventually diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer.
According to a 2022 report by the European Commission, over 70,000 workers died in 2019 from past exposure to asbestos. Medical researchers have conducted a number of scientific studies related to asbestos in steel mills.
Diagnostic testing for asbestos-related diseases involves imaging scans, biopsies and blood tests. Occupational histories are crucial for doctors when considering asbestos-related illnesses, so make sure to fully describe your asbestos exposure history.
It’s important to find a mesothelioma specialist to guide your treatment plan. These doctors have spent years specializing in mesothelioma and have the best experience to manage your cancer care. They can also connect you with the latest innovative clinical trials.
Get help paying for treatment and other expenses by accessing trust funds, grants and other options.
Access Funds NowSteel mill workers have successfully sued manufacturers of asbestos products and steel mills such as AK Steel, USX Corporation, LTV Steel, Weirton Steel and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. They’ve filed personal injury lawsuits and made claims with asbestos trust funds. Family members who lost a loved one have filed wrongful death claims as well.
If you’re a steel mill worker diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is in your best interest to find an experienced mesothelioma lawyer to handle your claim. Steel mill asbestos cases are a complex area of asbestos litigation that should only be managed by an experienced lawyer.
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Whitmer, M. (2024, June 17). Steel Mill Workers and Asbestos. Asbestos.com. Retrieved October 9, 2024, from https://www.asbestos.com/occupations/steel-mill-workers/
Whitmer, Michelle. "Steel Mill Workers and Asbestos." Asbestos.com, 17 Jun 2024, https://www.asbestos.com/occupations/steel-mill-workers/.
Whitmer, Michelle. "Steel Mill Workers and Asbestos." Asbestos.com. Last modified June 17, 2024. https://www.asbestos.com/occupations/steel-mill-workers/.
A mesothelioma lawyer who specializes in asbestos litigation reviewed the content on this page to ensure it is legally accurate.
Please read our editorial guidelines to learn more about our content creation and review process.
Yvonne Waterman, Ph.D., is the founder of the European Asbestos Forum and a specialist in asbestos litigation. Waterman has worked to build a global network of professionals fighting for a future without asbestos exposure and disease.
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