Jobs With the Highest Risk for Asbestos Exposure Lung Cancer

Asbestos can cause lung cancer 50 years or more after exposure

Dangerous asbestos exposure often happened at work. During the 1940s-1970s, employees in many industries were not told about the serious health risks associated with asbestos. Because of negligence on the part of asbestos manufacturers, asbestos lung cancer victims are entitled to compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses.

Some industries and occupations come with a higher risk of asbestos exposure and lung cancer than others. If you worked in one of those industries – listed below – you may have a strong case for significant financial compensation.

For more than 30 years, the Ferrell Law Group has fought to protect the rights of asbestos and mesothelioma victims. We are a national firm with a deep knowledge of asbestos law and the claims process for asbestos compensation. Our asbestos lung cancer attorneys are compassionate, responsive, and relentless about getting you compensation and justice. If you were diagnosed with lung cancer due to asbestos exposure, contact us for a free consultation to learn more about your legal options.

Jobs with the highest risk of lung cancer

Occupations with the highest risk of developing lung cancer due to asbestos exposure include, but are not limited to:

Construction workers. Construction workers and demolition crews may have been exposed to asbestos when working on buildings that used asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), such as insulation, floor tiles, and roofing materials.
Auto makers and mechanics. For many years, brake pads and clutch linings were made with asbestos.
Oilfield workers. Oil drilling and production workers may have been exposed to asbestos on the job due to the presence of asbestos-containing materials used in various equipment and infrastructure, such as insulation, gaskets, and pipes. Occupations in oilfields that would most likely be exposed to asbestos include maintenance technicians, pipefitters, welders, refinery workers, and demolition crews.
Factory workers. Factory and manufacturing workers were often exposed to asbestos via industrial equipment or insulation in their facilities.
Shipyard workers. Exposure to asbestos when working with insulation, boilers, pipes, and other equipment that contain ACMs was common in shipyards up until the 1990s.
Exposure to asbestos may have happened when working on older buildings that contain ACMs in the wiring insulation, switch boxes, or other electrical components.
Buildings and homes built before the 1980s typically contained asbestos, and fires would disturb the material, allowing it to be inhaled or latch on to firefighting gear and tools.
Obviously, those who worked in asbestos mining were at extremely high risk of exposure, but asbestos was also used in machinery and mining equipment until the 1980s.
Because asbestos was broadly used in insulation, workers tasked with installing or removing insulation materials that contained asbestos, such as pipe insulation, boiler insulation, and fireproofing materials, were at high risk.
Although carpenters primarily work with wood, in construction and renovation projects prior to the 1980s, they were regularly in close proximity to insulation and other materials that contained asbestos.
HVAC mechanics. Asbestos exposure happened while working on heating and cooling systems that contain ACMs, such as duct insulation, boilers, and pipes.
Plumbers were exposed to asbestos while working on pipes and plumbing fixtures wrapped or coated in ACMs, such as cement, gaskets, and insulation materials.
Railroad workers. Older trains and rail cars contained ACMs in the insulation, brakes, and other equipment.
Aircraft mechanics. Like most vehicles until the 1980s, many airplanes contained ACMs in the insulation or other parts.
Warehouse workers. Asbestos-containing materials were widely used in warehouses, putting workers at risk. Warehouse workers may have also worked in close proximity to builders, insulators, and other tradesmen who worked directly with asbestos.

Remember that asbestos can also linger on a worker’s clothes or hair. Many spouses and family members of workers in these trades were exposed to asbestos via work clothes.

Experienced lung cancer attorneys

At the Ferrell Law Group, we understand the devastating impact that a lung cancer diagnosis can have on you and your family. Our team of compassionate and knowledgeable attorneys will work tirelessly to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer that was caused by exposure to asbestos on the job, it is important to take action now. A statute of limitations applies to asbestos claims and lawsuits. Don't wait - contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help.