Did Your Railroad Job Expose You to Asbestos?

In this asbestos article, you can track your own asbestos exposure for your railroad craft.  Asbestos has been known to railroads for years as a danger to those railroad employees exposed to asbestos, or handling asbestos products.  A small amount of asbestos fiber in the air breathed by a railroad worker can lead to cancer related asbestos disease, and breathing problems related to asbestos.  That small amount of asbestos can be the catalyst for severe damage to the linings of the lung, that small amount of asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, a deadly cancer, which is related to asbestos exposure. The more concentrated the asbestos exposure, and the length of time of the asbestos exposure, are measures of the likelihood of you having asbestos related disease. This measure of asbestos exposure is discussed later in the article.

Knowledge of the railroad industry and the use of asbestos are essential to track the history of asbestos exposure to an individual worker with asbestos related illnesses.  The individual railroad crafts exposure to asbestosis must be examined for a railroad asbestos claim.  As an example, a railroad engineer could be exposed to asbestos from different locomotives that the engineer operated during his career. Some locomotives contained asbestos and some did not have asbestos components. It is necessary to take a detailed history of the different types of locomotives operated, track that history, and pinpoint which locomotives were known to have asbestos components. Most steam locomotives had asbestos components. Also, other railroad locomotives, such as diesel locomotives, were outfitted with asbestos-related components.  There is a need to match the locomotives worked by the engineer with those engines outfitted with asbestos related components.  That way a link can be established between the asbestos exposure and the asbestos related illness of the worker.

 Even though a small amount of asbestos can lead to asbestos-related diseases over the years, there is a term used by persons investigating asbestos exposure which is called a “dose” of asbestos.  This asbestos “dose” measurement is based on the concentration of asbestos in the air and the duration and length of exposure to the asbestos.  The more asbestos you inhale, the greater your risks to an asbestos-related disease.  And, of course, the more concentrated exposure to asbestos over a longer period of time can greatly increase your risks of developing an asbestos-related disease.  The asbestos disease does not immediately show but may manifest over a period of ten to twenty years or in some cases even fifty years. Many railroad workers exposed to asbestos would just now be showing symptoms of asbestos disease caused by asbestos exposure years ago.

There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. Even minimal asbestos levels may cause asbestos disease.  Asbestos diseases are asbestosis, asbestos pleural disease, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.  Even family members exposed to asbestos dust brought home on shoes or clothing of workers exposed to asbestos may be subject to asbestos-related diseases.

Engineers:  Railroad locomotive engineers worked on steam locomotives back in the 1950's and early 1960's during a time when asbestos was used to insulate boilers and other items on the engine. The pliable asbestos was applied to insulate from heat.  Railroad engineers were exposed to asbestos around pipes, steam and hot water lines, and also amosite asbestos fibers wrapped around different materials such as wires.  Diesel locomotives were also insulated with asbestos which caused exposure to asbestos for engineers.  Railroad brake linings with asbestos were used as these were heat resistant.

Conductor/Brakeman:  Railroad conductors and brakemen were exposed to asbestos from being on locomotives containing asbestos, around boxcars with asbestos laden brake shoes, riding in cabooses insulated with asbestos, and being in the area of pipes,  steam and hot water lines wrapped in asbestos. There was also asbestos exposure in the asbestos insulation and the asbestos floor tiles used in reporting places   Railroad conductors and brakemen were also exposed to the heat resistant asbestos used on brakes and clutch linings.

Track Workers:  Track workers were around welding blankets and screens which used asbestos as heat insulation. They were around sprayed insulation containing asbestos and also were exposed to asbestos in crew cars and reporting areas.

Mechanics:  Mechanics were exposed to the asbestos from the brake and clutch linings, from asbestos used in railcars, and from being around wire, pipe and building insulation laced with asbestos.

To determine whether or not you have the symptoms of asbestos exposure, you must keep a vigilant eye.  The original asbestos exposure may not show up as symptoms until many years following the original exposure to asbestos. Symptoms of asbestos-related disease such as asbestosis include:

              --            Shortness of Breath

              --            Chronic Cough

              --            Chest Pain

              --            Difficulty Breathing

Symptoms of asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma include:

              --            Shortness of Breath

              --            Chest Pain

              --            Persistent Cough

              --            Swelling

              --            Weight Loss

              --            Nausea

              --            Obstructed Bowels

              --            Anemia

              --            Night Sweats

If you have any or all of these symptoms of asbestos disease, you should immediately contact a doctor and tell that doctor of your concerns and your exposure to asbestos.  For legal help with your asbestos claim you can contact the law firm of Wilson & Hajek.

The railroads predominately used asbestos in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. Some railroads continued using asbestos into the 1990's even though they knew of the dangers of asbestos.  Asbestos is mined in Quebec, Canada and the fibers are pliable like cotton or wool.  These asbestos fibers stay pliant and can be mixed with an applicant and applied to round surfaces such as pipes.  This asbestos is heat resistant and was often used as an insulator.  There were many buildings on the railroad company including reporting places, crew offices, clerk's offices, railroad shops, and maintenance of way reporting places that were insulated with asbestos- laden products, including pipes wrapped in asbestos and floor tiles with asbestos.

There have been numerous asbestos studies of asbestos exposure to railway workers and these asbestos studies suggest a past and future history of asbestos mortality and asbestos morbidity among railroad workers.

Railroad workers can collect for injuries. Contact the law firm of Wilson & Hajek.