Asbestos Exposure and Pipefitters | Risks and Prevention
Pipefitters play a crucial role in the construction and industrial world. However, that crucial role has historically come with a devastating cost to personal health. The reason for this has to do with the widespread presence of asbestos throughout the pipefitting trade. Here’s what you need to know about asbestos exposure risks for pipefitters- and what you need to know for yourself as well as friends or family members who may unknowingly be at risk.
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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.
The Varieties of Pipefitting
Pipefitters play a crucial role in helping resources get from point A to point B and everything in between. Pipes are used to transport things like oil, gas, water, and clean air from source to source. Pipes can be subjected to a variety of temperatures and come in a wide range of sizes, everything from less than one inch in diameter to over six feet! Pipes also come in a range of materials: stainless steel, aluminum, copper, galvanized, plastic, PVC, rubber, and much more.
Beyond the materials used, pipefitters are responsible for ensuring that their work is sufficient to get these resources (oil, water, etc.) from point A to point B safely. Pipes facilitate the travel of these resources at a variety of pressures and temperatures. An insufficient job at safely fitting pipes together can result in serious injury or death. And the task of fitting pipe together is just as varied as the materials used; sometimes pipes are threaded together, but other times they are bolted together with fasteners, soldered, or welded in place. If we take all of this together, it is clear just how dynamic and widespread the skillset and applications of a pipefitter can be throughout the workday.
The Work Environments of Pipefitting
Beyond this, pipefitters can find themselves in a wide range of work environments. Pipefitters find themselves as a tradesman in high demand and value in the construction of industrial buildings, and commercial buildings, but they are also required to build and maintain things like vehicles, boats, and aircraft, as well as all varieties of military transportation.
Unfortunately, while this highlights the importance of this trade, it also shows just how dangerous it can be, not only in terms of the general work environment but especially because of the pervasive presence of asbestos as an occupational hazard.
“The overall evidence suggests there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.”Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)1 |
Asbestos in the Industrial World
Asbestos has been called a miracle mineral, and for anyone who starts doing some simple research about asbestos, it’s easy to understand why. This mineral is resistant to things that don’t go well with other resources. For example, asbestos is resistant to corrosion, it is not soluble in water, it is resistant to heat and fire, it serves as an effective insulator and sound absorber, plus it is not conductive to electricity. Not only does this make asbestos an incredibly durable material, but it also makes it an effective material to use for the protection and strength-building of other materials.
Industrial, Commercial, and Residential Examples
When it comes to the construction industry or the entire industrial world at large, this realization of the impressive qualities of asbestos translates to the widespread production of asbestos-containing materials, in order to provide weaker materials with the durable qualities that are found in asbestos.
Temperature Protection
Examples include paint, insulation, and sprayed application
Strength-building
Examples include concrete, drywall, and plaster
Fire and Water Proofing
Examples include roof shingles, tar, vinyl, and sealants
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.
Two Types of Asbestos Hazards for Pipefitters
In all of these examples, it’s easy to understand how pipefitters face a severe threat of asbestos exposure. In fact, we can break down the threat that pipefitters face in relation to asbestos exposure into two main hazard categories:
Hazard of Asbestos Materials
First, pipefitters face the threat of exposure because of the materials they are working with. As a specific example, let’s consider the threat of asbestos in the task of servicing naval vessels. In the past, companies like Owens Corning were once the largest manufacturer of insulation and “the standard insulation for all Navy ships”, according to their website. However, in the height of the company as the standard for various products, the key ingredient of their products was asbestos.
Asbestos was used widely in U.S. military buildings, equipment and vehicles like Navy ships.
So pervasive was this use of asbestos that almost every vessel in the United States Navy used asbestos until the 1980s, particularly on piping that pipefitters would service and maintain. When submarines and other naval vessels are serviced, the puzzle-piece process of removing piping in order to access components and reinstalling piping after the components have been repaired is commonplace.
However, since having a fire onboard a naval vessel is a worst-case scenario, asbestos was heavily used in the insulation process of piping to ensure that the threat of fire would be mitigated as much as possible. However, the friability (crushing, crumbling, breakdown) of asbestos in a working environment results in the release of tiny, microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. Once these fibers are exposed, pipefitters (and anyone nearby) can swallow or ingest these fibers into their bodies.
“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 |
The Hazard of Asbestos in the Environment
While the thought of having asbestos in direct contact of piping systems is concerning in its own right, pipefitters should also be aware that even if they worked directly with piping that no longer used asbestos-containing insulation, they may have worked in an environment that still contained asbestos. Asbestos was hardly restricted to pipe insulation or naval vessels; most industrial facilities built before the mid-1980s could be assumed to contain asbestos somewhere from the cement foundation to the roofing tiles of the facility.
In fact, according to the National Library of Medicine, asbestosis is prevalent in a variety of construction trades, precisely because of the prevalent use of asbestos in those environments.
“The National Library of Medicine has found that asbestosis is prevalent in a variety of construction trades because of the prevalent use of asbestos in those environments.”2 |
Construction environments are aggressive; there is grinding, welding, vibration, and all sorts of actions that lend to the friability of asbestos in asbestos-containing materials. Even if pipefitters are not working directly with asbestos, they may commonly find themselves in an environment that contains asbestos- one home to actions that directly cause the spread of dangerous asbestos fibers into the air.
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Unfortunately, when these fibers are spread into the air and exposed to pipefitters, they wreak havoc in their bodies. What’s more, the sad reality of asbestos exposure is that the immediate impact of being exposed is not perceived. This has to do with the latency of asbestos- meaning that it can take decades for the effects of exposure to appear in the body.
“Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after exposure.”Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)3 |
Asbestos related diseases
Examples of asbestos-related diseases due to exposure include both malignant and non-malignant diseases; asbestosis, pleural damage and plaques, collapsed lungs, and all varieties of cancers (ovarian, lung, mesothelioma, etc..). These diseases can be crippling to the physical and emotional well-being of those who have unknowingly been exposed to asbestos. The good news is, there are various options available.
| Over $30 Billion is still available (without a lawsuit). Stake your claim.  |
Asbestos Claims
Making an asbestos claim can feel overwhelming, but having an asbestos claims attorney by your side can be a tremendous help to walk you through the process, each step of the way. While there are legal options that involve going to court, it is good to know that there are asbestos trusts that exist to provide compensation for those who have been exposed to asbestos. Each asbestos trust has its own requirements, but there are multiple asbestos trusts that apply specifically to those who have worked in the pipefitting industry.
Asbestos Trusts: No lawsuit, no court fees, no deposition, no risk. You just cash the check.
In these cases, there is usually no need to go to court at all. Because of this, asbestos trusts are often the fastest and easiest way to receive compensation for asbestos-related diseases. Even children or spouses of pipefitters are eligible to apply for compensation if they have been exposed to asbestos due to those who have worked in an asbestos environment. To take your first step toward receiving compensation, reach out to an Asbestos Claims Attorney today.
AsbestosClaims.Law
At AsbestosClaims.Law, our mission to secure compensation for asbestos victims is more than professional; it’s personal.
Our founder, Justinian C. Lane, understands the devastating impacts of asbestos firsthand.
Both his grandparents and father, all asbestos workers, passed away from asbestos-induced cancers without realizing their eligibility for asbestos lawsuits or other forms of compensation.
We aim to prevent such tragic oversights by informing and guiding victims and their families through their legal options.
If you or your loved ones have suffered as a result of asbestos exposure, you could be eligible for considerable compensation. These funds could provide for medical treatments, asbestos removal services, and safeguard your health.
In addition, asbestos trusts offer compensation without the need for a lawsuit, providing a quicker, simpler path to justice.
Reach out to us at [email protected] or (206) 455-9190 for assistance with your claim. We offer compassionate listening, clear explanations, and we don’t charge a dime unless we win your case.
Beyond legal claims, we also advise on veterans’ disability, social security, and employment protection like workers’ compensation, FELA, and The Jones Act for maritime workers.
There’s no risk or cost to connect with our experienced team about your rights. Our commitment to your well-being means no fees unless you receive compensation.
| For further queries or concerns about asbestos, explore our website and YouTube page, featuring infographics, videos, and answers to common questions on asbestos-related topics. |
We’ve also introduced W.A.R.D., the Worldwide Asbestos Research Database. It’s the most comprehensive resource for asbestos-related information.
W.A.R.D. assists in pinpointing potential exposure scenarios, asbestos-containing products, and can indicate the types and potential amounts of compensation you may be entitled to receive.
Don’t delay — get in touch with us today!
1 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
2 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
3 Asbestosis is prevalent in a variety of construction industry trades, Walters, G.I., Robertson, A.S., Bhomra, P.S. and Burge, P.S., 2018. NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, 28(1), p.11.