Rubber factory workers and asbestos exposure

By Treven Pyles

Posted on April 22nd, 2021

The process of rubber manufacturing is very complex and usually requires extreme heat, which is why asbestos was used by these facilities, as it has extraordinary resistance to high temperatures. Former rubber factory workers who came to struggle with diseases as a consequence of occupational asbestos exposure are now eligible for compensation.

The rubber manufacturing process involves mixing, milling, extruding, and molding rubber products. In rubber factories, asbestos was often found in pipes as insulation to protect against chemicals and high temperatures. Furthermore, asbestos gaskets were used to seal pipes, pumps, and equipment. The products used to put up the facility itself, including the floor tiles, ceiling tiles, and wall insulation, were also made with asbestos to increase their durability and strength. While these building products do not pose a health risk if they are in good condition and if they are left undisturbed, over the years, they become friable, which means that they are more likely to release asbestos fibers in the air when disturbance occurs.

How were rubber factory workers exposed to asbestos?

Although the rubber industry had been aware of the dangers of asbestos exposure since the 1920s, it chose to keep employees and the general public in the dark for their own financial profit, as asbestos was widely available, very effective, and very cheap to purchase at the time.

Consequently, millions of rubber factory workers were exposed to asbestos on the job, many of whom came to struggle with terrible diseases several decades later.

Rubber factories were huge industrial complexes filled with asbestos that eventually broke down and contaminated the workplace with toxic fibers.

To make matters worse, rubber factories had poor ventilation, which only intensified asbestos exposure among workers. In 1977, there were 88,300 rubber factory workers throughout the United States that were still exposed to asbestos on a regular basis. In addition to asbestos, rubber factory workers were also exposed to the following toxic agents on the job:

  • carbon black
  • 1,3-butadiene
  • n-nitrosamines
  • phthalates
  • polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
  • silica dust
  • benzene
  • talc
  • solvents

Therefore, rubber factory workers are one of the occupational groups at the highest risk of receiving a dire diagnosis, as they had inhaled and ingested numerous toxic chemicals in the workplace before the 1980s when strict regulations came into effect with regard to exposure to dangerous agents on the job. If you are a former rubber factory worker who developed a disease as a result of asbestos exposure or another toxic agent, we strongly encourage you to contact our law firm, as our main area of practice is toxic exposure and thereby we have the necessary knowledge and resources to help you recover fair compensation for your suffering.

What diseases can former rubber factory workers develop as a consequence of occupational asbestos exposure?

Asbestos exposure has a strong causal relation with numerous serious diseases, which is backed up by reputable medical studies. There are some diagnoses for which you do not need to travel to our offices in Birmingham, Alabama to recover financial compensation, as the legal process can easily unfold over the phone and via e-mail. The following are the diseases that immediately qualify you for compensation if you have a history of asbestos exposure:

Nevertheless, for other diagnoses that may or may not be the result of asbestos exposure, you will need to come in person to our offices so that the medical experts we collaborate with can examine your lungs for the presence of asbestos fibers. If you have asbestos fibers in your lungs, you become eligible for compensation. The following are the diagnoses for which you will need to come in person to Birmingham, Alabama:

Regardless of the disease you struggle with, we advise you to contact our legal team as soon as you receive your diagnosis, as preparing your asbestos claim for submission if you are eligible for compensation is a quite complex and tedious process and asbestos claims have a statute of limitations of 2 or 3 years from the moment of diagnosis in most states. For this reason, the sooner you reach out to us, the more favorable the outcome of your case will be, as we will have sufficient time to thoroughly prepare your asbestos claim and the documents that must accompany it for submission.

What companies were responsible for asbestos exposure among rubber factory workers?

Because gaskets were often manufactured with rubber during the last century, people who took part in the process of making these automobile components were often exposed to asbestos. The following is a list of the most renowned manufacturers of rubber gaskets in the United States that exposed their employees to tremendous levels of asbestos:

If you worked for one of the above companies and came to struggle with a disease caused by occupational asbestos exposure, we are here to help you recover the financial compensation you deserve for your physical and emotional suffering. Nowadays, because most major asbestos companies filed for bankruptcy, the main source of compensation for former injured employees is asbestos trust funds. We will file a claim with the asbestos trust fund of each and every company responsible for your diagnosis so that you can benefit from the maximum compensation available.

Quality legal assistance for former rubber factory workers injured by asbestos exposure

With over 25 years of experience in pursuing compensation on behalf of victims of toxic exposure, particularly asbestos victims, our legal team is ready to provide you with quality assistance in filing a claim with the asbestos trust funds of the companies for which you worked. Because we know that people whose health was affected by asbestos exposure are in a lot of pain, the legal process will require minimal involvement on your part, as we will only need your employment and medical records from you. The rest of the documents will be efficiently handled by our legal experts on your behalf. Eventually, you will receive the largest sum of money available if you choose to work with our skilful legal team.