Mesothelioma Lawyers by Occupation
Some occupations carry far higher mesothelioma risk than others. We represent workers from 22 documented high-risk occupations nationwide. Find your trade below.
Pipefitter
Pipefitters spent decades cutting, fitting, and insulating high-temperature pipes in refineries, power plants, ships, and industrial facilities. Pipe insulation (lagging), gaskets, packing material, a...
Top 5 occupations for mesothelioma incidence
Insulator / Asbestos Worker
Insulators applied asbestos insulation to pipes, boilers, ducts, and equipment as their primary daily occupation. The Selikoff studies of New York and New Jersey Asbestos Workers Local insulators docu...
#1 occupation for mesothelioma incidence
U.S. Navy Veteran
Navy veterans served on asbestos-laden ships from 1940 through the 1980s. Boiler tenders, machinist mates, pipefitters, hull technicians, and engineering personnel served in compartments where asbesto...
Veterans = ~30% of all U.S. mesothelioma diagnoses
Shipfitter / Shipyard Worker
Shipfitters built, modified, and repaired Navy and commercial ships in shipyards from 1940 through the 1980s. They worked alongside insulators, pipefitters, welders, and electricians in confined shipb...
Top 5 occupations for mesothelioma incidence
Boilermaker
Boilermakers built, repaired, and demolished industrial boilers in power plants, refineries, ships, paper mills, and chemical plants. Boiler insulation contained massive amounts of asbestos through th...
Top 5 occupations for mesothelioma incidence
Welder
Welders used asbestos-coated welding rods, asbestos blankets, and asbestos protective gear. They also worked alongside insulators on shipyards, refineries, and power plants — bystander asbestos expo...
Top 10 occupations for mesothelioma incidence
Electrician
Electricians worked with asbestos-insulated electrical cables, asbestos-paneled electrical boxes, and installed equipment in asbestos-laden industrial environments. Cable jacketing, panel boards, and ...
Top 10 occupations for mesothelioma incidence
Steelworker
Steelworkers in blast furnaces, coke ovens, and rolling mills worked daily with asbestos pipe lagging, block insulation on furnaces, refractory cements, and protective gear (aprons, gloves, leggings) ...
Top 10 occupations for mesothelioma incidence
Auto / Brake Mechanic
Auto mechanics handled asbestos brake linings, clutch facings, and gaskets through the 1990s. Compressed-air brake-cleaning was standard practice and released massive asbestos fiber clouds into the br...
Documented elevated mesothelioma incidence
Refinery Worker / Operator / Maintenance
Petroleum refineries used asbestos extensively in pre-1980 process unit insulation, pipe lagging, gaskets, packing material, and protective gear. Refinery operators, pipefitters, insulators, mechanics...
Top 10 occupations for mesothelioma incidence
Paper Mill Worker
Paper mills used asbestos in pulp digester insulation, paper machine dryer felts (Asten Group, etc.), steam pipe lagging, and protective equipment. Paper mill workers in Northern Wisconsin, Maine, Pac...
Railroad Worker
Railroad workers (engineers, conductors, machinists, mechanics, maintenance-of-way) handled asbestos-insulated steam and diesel locomotives, asbestos-insulated cabooses, asbestos-containing brake lini...
Documented elevated mesothelioma incidence
Power Plant Operator / Maintenance
Coal, gas, and nuclear power plants used asbestos extensively in boiler insulation, pipe lagging, turbine packing, refractory, and protective gear. Workers at TVA plants, Edison/utility plants, and co...
Construction Worker (multiple trades)
Pre-1980 construction across the US used asbestos in joint compound (drywall mud), vinyl asbestos floor tile, ceiling tiles, spray-on fireproofing, asbestos cement transite, and roofing materials. Con...
Firefighter
Firefighters entered pre-1980 buildings filled with asbestos-containing materials (insulation, ceiling tiles, floor tile, fireproofing, transite). High-heat fires released massive asbestos fiber cloud...
Documented elevated mesothelioma incidence per IAFF cancer registry
Teacher / School Staff
Pre-1980 American school buildings contained asbestos in ceiling tiles, vinyl-asbestos floor tile, pipe insulation, boiler room insulation, and spray-on fireproofing on structural steel. Teachers, cus...
Documented elevated mesothelioma in long-tenured teachers in pre-1980 school buildings
Iron Worker
Iron workers erecting structural steel on commercial buildings worked alongside crews spraying asbestos-containing fireproofing (Monokote, Cafco, Limpet) onto every steel beam through the 1973 spray-a...
Top 10 occupations for mesothelioma incidence
HVAC Technician
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) technicians installed and serviced boilers with asbestos insulation, sheet-metal ducts wrapped with asbestos lagging, and asbestos-containing flexible duc...
Asbestos Abatement / Removal Worker
Workers removing asbestos from buildings (asbestos abatement) face documented mesothelioma risk despite using PPE. Disturbing asbestos releases massive airborne fiber clouds. Pre-1986 abatement (befor...
Drywall Finisher / Taper
Drywall finishers (tapers) sanded asbestos-containing joint compound — USG Bestwall, Gold Bond, Hamilton, others — until the late 1970s. Sanding asbestos joint compound released massive airborne f...
Plumber
Plumbers cut asbestos-cement transite pipe (water and sewer lines), handled asbestos pipe insulation in residential and commercial work, and serviced boilers with asbestos insulation. Distinct from in...
Demolition Worker
Demolition of pre-1980 buildings releases enormous quantities of asbestos fibers from disturbed and pulverized insulation, fireproofing, ceiling tiles, floor tile, and transite. Demolition workers wit...