Pennsylvania played a major role in building America’s industrial strength. Its steel mills, shipyards, refineries, and power plants supported two world wars and decades of economic growth. However, this industrial growth also came with a cost. Many workers were exposed to asbestos, and the effects are still being seen decades later.
How Asbestos Became Part of Pennsylvania’s Industries
For most of the 20th century, asbestos was widely used because it was cheap, durable, and resistant to heat. It was used to insulate boilers and pipes in Pittsburgh’s steel mills, protect equipment at refineries near Philadelphia, and line engine rooms of ships built in Chester and at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Military facilities like Tobyhanna and Letterkenny Army Depots also used asbestos until the early 1980s.
Many workers who handled asbestos did not know about the health risks. However, some manufacturers were aware of these dangers. This difference in what companies knew and what workers were told became an important part of the legal cases that followed.
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SubscribeWhy Asbestos Claims Continue Today
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the lining around the lungs or abdomen. One of the biggest problems with this disease is that it can take 20 to 50 years to develop after asbestos exposure. This means workers who handled asbestos in Pennsylvania’s mills and shipyards during the 1970s may still be diagnosed today.
Veterans also account for roughly one-third of mesothelioma cases in the United States. This is partly because asbestos was widely used in military facilities and ships. For businesses, this long delay has made asbestos a major legal and financial issue. Claims can come decades after a product was sold, even when the company that made it has merged with another business, restructured, or closed.
Trust Funds and the Courts
Many companies that faced asbestos claims filed for bankruptcy under Section 524(g) of the US Bankruptcy Code. This allowed them to reorganize their businesses while setting aside money to compensate people who developed asbestos-related diseases. These trust funds are estimated to hold more than $30 billion and allow eligible claimants to seek compensation without going through a trial.
Lawsuits are also common. Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas handles a large number of mass tort cases, including asbestos-related claims. In Pennsylvania, the general deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit is two years from the date the claim accrues. Different circumstances can affect how this deadline applies, so timing is important.
A person may have worked at several industrial sites or served in the military before being diagnosed with mesothelioma. Identifying where the exposure happened can require years of employment records, product information, and military service history. Many families work with a Pennsylvania mesothelioma lawyer to understand their legal options and identify the companies or trust funds that may be responsible.
What Businesses Can Learn From Pennsylvania’s Experience
Pennsylvania’s experience also raises questions for businesses dealing with other materials that may pose long-term health risks. Asbestos was banned across the European Union in 2005, but older buildings still contain it. Companies are also facing questions about PFAS, often called “forever chemicals”, and other materials whose risks may take years to become clear.
Keeping accurate product records, informing workers about potential risks, and carefully reviewing materials used in production can help businesses avoid serious problems later. Pennsylvania’s history shows how decisions made decades ago can lead to legal claims and financial costs long after the original companies and their leaders are gone.
Endnote
Pennsylvania’s steel mills, shipyards, and other industries helped shape the modern economy. However, many workers who supported this growth were exposed to asbestos without fully understanding its risks.
The effects are still being seen today through new diagnoses and legal claims. Pennsylvania’s experience shows why businesses need to take workplace safety seriously and understand the long-term consequences of the materials they use.
