Asbestos Plumbing and Pipefitting Risks
For most of the 20th century, plumbers and pipefitters worked with asbestos-containing products like piping, insulation, and boilers.
Source: International Journal of Epidemiology
When asbestos products are installed or repaired, tiny fibers may be released into the air. Anyone in the area is at risk of breathing in or swallowing these fibers and developing serious illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer 10-50 years later.
Manufacturers used asbestos in thousands of products because of its insulating and heat-resistant qualities. Asbestos companies knew of the health risks but kept quiet for decades to keep making money.
Quick Facts About Plumbers and Asbestos Exposure
- Products: Asbestos plumbing insulation, pipes, gaskets, flanges, valves, and more
- Manufacturers: JM Eagle, Johns-Manville, Garlock Sealing Technologies, John Crane Inc., Kaiser Gypsum Company, and many others
- Methods of exposure: Cutting, sawing, drilling, or otherwise manipulating asbestos products
- Health risks: Mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related illnesses
Plumbers and pipefitters facing a mesothelioma diagnosis may be entitled to financial assistance and other types of support. Learn more in our Free Mesothelioma Guide.
How Plumbers and Pipefitters Were Exposed to Asbestos
Plumbers and pipefitters may have come in contact with asbestos on the job as they handled, serviced, or replaced asbestos-containing products or worked near others who were performing these tasks. Even a single exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma decades later.
Specific job sites that may have contained asbestos include:
- Construction sites
- Factories
- Power plants
- Private homes
- Schools
Due to the nature of their jobs, plumbers and pipefitters often worked in confined spaces, which may have increased the concentration of asbestos they were exposed to.
Plumbers weren’t the only ones at risk of getting sick from products like asbestos plumbing pipes. These workers may have unknowingly brought home asbestos dust on their clothes or skin, causing family members to develop mesothelioma from secondary asbestos exposure.
Asbestos in Plumbing and Pipefitting Products
Thousands of products contained asbestos up until the early 1980s when the health risks became public knowledge. Plumbers and pipefitters worked with many asbestos products on a daily basis, increasing their risk of exposure.
Common asbestos plumbing products include:
- Adhesives
- Boilers
- Caulking
- Flanges
- Gaskets
- Insulation
- Pipes
- Pipe wrappings
- Pumps
- Sealants
- Valves
- Water heaters
Workers may have come in contact with asbestos when cutting, drilling, or sanding these and many other products. They may have also been exposed while handling common asbestos-containing materials on a job site, like floor tiles and drywall.
Is Asbestos Still a Risk to Plumbers and Pipefitters?
Yes, while new plumbing materials don’t contain asbestos, plumbers and pipefitters may still come across asbestos when working in older homes or industrial facilities. In these situations, asbestos can pose a health risk if the proper precautions aren’t taken.
Workers should wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow safety guidelines in situations where asbestos exposure is possible.
Asbestos Plumbing and Pipe Manufacturers
Dozens of companies manufactured asbestos products like asbestos plumbing pipe that plumbers and pipefitters encountered on a daily basis. Negligent asbestos companies knew of the dangers but engaged in a cover-up to keep the public in the dark and protect their profits.
Companies that made asbestos plumbing products include:
- Celotex Corporation, which made hot-water-heater equipment like heat panels and boards
- GAF Corporation, which manufactured asbestos pipe insulation, cement, boiler jackets, and millboard
- JM Eagle (J-M Manufacturing), which made plastic pipe, fittings and tubing products
- Johns-Manville, which manufactured cement products, including Transite pipes
- Owens-Illinois Co., which made a brand of asbestos insulation called Kaylo
- Quigley Co., which manufactured a variety of asbestos insulation products
- Union Carbide, which made asbestos adhesives, cement, and joint compound
- Western MacArthur, which manufactured asbestos plumbing pipe insulation covers
This is not a complete list — many other companies manufactured, sold, and distributed asbestos-based plumbing supplies, putting millions of innocent workers in harm’s way.
Request a Free Case Review with our partner law firm, Simmons Hanly Conroy, to see if they can help hold these asbestos companies accountable for your illness.
Get a Free Mesothelioma Case Review
Compensation for Mesothelioma in Plumbers and Pipefitters
Pipefitters and plumbers may be eligible for compensation to help pay for their medical bills and other expenses.
Compensation options include:
- Asbestos trust funds: There’s an estimated $30 billion available in bankruptcy trusts created by asbestos companies as a way to avoid lawsuits. You may be able to file claims with multiple trusts to maximize your total payout.
- Mesothelioma lawsuits: Mesothelioma lawsuits award over $1 million on average, and most patients are able to access compensation without going to court. Mesothelioma lawyers can make the process as easy and stress-free as possible by handling all of the paperwork.
- VA benefits: Those who served in the U.S. military may be entitled to benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), like disability pay of nearly $4,000 a month and free or low-cost health care.
Plumbers and pipefitters can pursue all potential avenues of compensation available to them by working with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer.
How We Can Help Plumbers and Pipefitters With Mesothelioma
Asbestos products were common on job sites where pipefitters and plumbers worked for much of the 20th century. As a result, millions of hardworking Americans were put at risk of mesothelioma and other serious diseases.
Asbestos companies could have prevented this national tragedy by warning of the hazards connected to their products.
Mesothelioma Hope can help plumbers and pipefitters with mesothelioma get the justice and compensation they deserve. We provide medical, financial, and supportive resources to those who have been affected.
Call (866) 608-8933 or get our Free Mesothelioma Guide shipped overnight to find out all the ways we can assist you.
Plumbers and Pipefitters FAQs
Are pipefitters exposed to asbestos?
Yes, pipefitters may have been exposed to asbestos if they worked with or around asbestos-containing products like pipes, insulation, drywall, and joint compound.
Hundreds of different types of construction materials contained asbestos, a cancer-causing substance, before the hazards came to light in the 1980s.
Even today, pipefitters, plumbers, and steamfitters face a risk of asbestos exposure while working in older homes or industrial facilities that still contain asbestos products.
Are asbestos pipes bad for you?
Yes, asbestos pipes can be dangerous if the tiny fibers are released. Breathing in or swallowing asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other serious illnesses decades later.
Plumbers and pipefitters who worked with asbestos pipes have a high risk of mesothelioma since they likely worked with asbestos materials on a daily basis.
When did they stop using asbestos pipe?
Companies stopped manufacturing asbestos pipe in the early 1980s when the hazards became known.
However, asbestos plumbing products can still be found in many older homes and commercial settings, posing a risk to anyone who comes in contact with them.
Can asbestos be found in water pipes?
Yes, asbestos can be found in water pipes, especially asbestos-cement water pipes that were used in water distribution systems decades ago. Asbestos was used to make plumbing products because of its durability and corrosion-resistance properties.
In the 1970s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set a limit for the amount of asbestos in drinking water that’s considered safe.
If you suspect that your pipes contain asbestos, you should contact a professional asbestos abatement company as soon as possible.
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