Written By: David Statman
Asbestos Exposure for Insulation Workers
Asbestos exposure is a concern for insulation workers due to asbestos in insulation materials. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral and was often used as an insulation material through most of the 20th century. Insulation workers, along with heat and frost insulators, were heavily exposed to asbestos on a daily basis and are at risk for asbestos disease, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Reviewed By
Retired LCDR Carl Jewett
VA-Accredited Claims Agent
Reviewed By
Retired LCDR Carl Jewett
VA-Accredited Claims Agent
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Important Facts About Asbestos Exposure for Insulation Workers
- Asbestos, in the forms of amosite and crocidolite, was used in insulation materials to absorb heat and prevent overheating.
- There were various types of insulation used in plants, refineries, and many other industrial buildings. All types can present a risk of asbestos exposure to insulation workers and insulators.
- While asbestos is no longer used for insulation work today, there’s still a risk of “legacy asbestos” in industrial plants built during the 20th century.
Why Asbestos Was Used in Insulation
Insulation is a key component in the construction of homes, office buildings, entertainment venues, government buildings, plants, refineries and more. Installing insulation is a very common trade among Americans and has been for decades. However, it is among some of the occupations at high risk of asbestos exposure.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that forms near vermiculite, which is the primary ingredient in most insulation materials. Due to the close proximity of the two minerals, they often mix together, which means insulation materials may be contaminated with asbestos. When heated, vermiculite expands rather than burns. Insulation companies used asbestos and vermiculite for their expansive and fire-resistant properties.
The primary use of asbestos in insulation was for hot metals or buildings, such as plants or refineries with hot equipment. Pipes with steam or chemicals in them and connected to another heated structure were also prime candidates for asbestos insulation.
Meanwhile, insulation workers could be exposed to asbestos in these settings. Insulators traveled to plants and refineries to re-insulate piping or other areas of need.
Insulation workers could also be exposed to asbestos in other parts of buildings, including homes and offices. Asbestos was used to insulate drywall joint compounds, floorboards, pipes, ductwork, HVAC equipment, boilers and to fireproof structural beams in homes, office buildings, skyscrapers or all of the above.
Where Did Asbestos Insulation Come From?
Most asbestos and vermiculite insulation sold in the United States originated from the Libby, Montana mine, which was active until 1990. The insulation the Libby mine produced was sold as Zonolite, the brand name coined by W.R. Grace & Co.
Types of Insulation With Asbestos
The types of insulation with asbestos were:
- Asbestos pipe insulation/pipe covering
- Loose-fill insulation
- Spray-on insulation
- Block insulation
- Blanket/wrapped insulation
- Insulating cement
- Asbestos cloth
- Vermiculite insulation
When Was Asbestos an Issue for Insulation Workers?
Asbestos entered the market in the early 20th century and was widely used for nearly 80 years. It is sensible to assume most industrial plants and refineries built between 1900 and 1980 contain asbestos insulation in some form.
The EPA began implementing regulations on asbestos in the late 1980s, preventing the widespread use of the toxic substance in homes, buildings and consumer products. However, the Libby mine, known for producing most asbestos and vermiculite insulation, remained active until 1990.
Most refineries and plants built before 1980 were – or still are – likely to contain asbestos in some way. This is referred to as legacy asbestos. This term describes any leftover asbestos in a building built during an era when using asbestos was embraced.
The presence of legacy asbestos means insulation workers today still face a risk of asbestos exposure and disease. Anyone who worked or currently works in this trade should know the health risks associated with insulation.
Types of Actions Causing Asbestos Exposure for Insulation Workers
Insulation workers are exposed to asbestos any time they disturb the mineral. This can happen when workers install, repair, or remove insulation in attics, walls, and more places.
Cutting, tearing, or scraping asbestos can release asbestos fibers. Even repair work on machinery or building parts – such as pipes and boilers – can disturb asbestos in nearby or surrounding insulation.
Best Practices for Asbestos Insulation Identification and Removal
Identifying asbestos in insulation can be challenging. Most insulation workers are not trained to know what asbestos looks like. Today, workers may encounter old insulation in buildings. They should contact professionals to test for asbestos before proceeding.
Insulation made with asbestos can be removed during projects to update homes, offices, schools, hospitals, libraries and other buildings. However, they should be removed by professionals trained to handle and get rid of asbestos.
Asbestos abatement is the process of removing or repairing asbestos from a building that contains the mineral. This could be asbestos in drywall, around electrical wiring, or in insulation for ducts and pipes or in attics.
When duct or pipe insulation in a building contains asbestos, you should hire an abatement professional. They will inspect the area and determine if the asbestos has been disturbed or is flaky, which means it’s more likely to be disturbed and break apart. When asbestos is compact, it is not yet harmful. It’s only dangerous when airborne fibers contaminate the air after breaking from the insulation.
The professional may just contain the asbestos rather than removing it, but any asbestos in a home, office or another building should be abated because of any future risks of disturbance and exposure. Asbestos insulation can be contained but it’s recommended to remove it.
Steps for Removing Asbestos Insulation
Asbestos abatement workers can remove insulation that contains asbestos but must follow a protocol. They usually create a plan to safely remove the asbestos insulation and then follow these steps or similar ones:
- Vacate the building until the work is complete.
- Seal air ducts, disable the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, secure any areas not being treated with thick plastic sheets.
- Ventilate the building.
- Place the asbestos-containing insulation into double-bagged waste disposal bags.
- Conduct air quality testing based on state and federal requirements to ensure the air is safe.
This work can be completed in 1-2 days, but it may take longer due to other circumstances.
Asbestos Insulation Health Risks
Insulation contaminated with asbestos can have deadly effects on a person’s health. Asbestos is highly toxic due to its microscopic, needle-like fibers. Any slight disturbance of asbestos insulation can send asbestos fibers into the air, exposing anyone in the area.
Occupational asbestos exposure is responsible for most cases of asbestos disease, including the rare cancer mesothelioma. Any amount of exposure to asbestos is dangerous and can lead to a type of insulation cancer.
How Does Insulation Cause Cancer?
Insulators working in industrial settings could be exposed to asbestos from insulating hot piping or equipment. They would often go when the plant or portions of it were offline since the steel was not hot to the touch.
The disturbance or movement of insulation can cause tiny asbestos fibers to become airborne and potentially inhaled or ingested by workers in close proximity, namely the insulators. If the body does not clear out the particles, then they can irritate healthy cells and turn them into cancer.
Asbestos fibers are sharp. If inhaled or ingested, they can become lodged in the lungs, throat or abdomen, embedding themselves into the organ tissue. This can lead to serious illness, such as cancer. There are several types of cancer caused by asbestos in insulation.
Mesothelioma Among Insulation Workers
Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma forms in the thin linings of the lungs and abdominal cavity. These narrow linings can be infiltrated by sharp asbestos fibers, which irritate cells in the linings and cause cell mutation. This leads to a tumor.
In 1990, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 278 “definite or suspected” mesothelioma cases among the 17,800 insulation workers in the United States and Canada. This type of cancer has an extensive latency period, often 20-50 years, which means insulation workers may not show any signs of mesothelioma for decades.
Another study from 1967 reviewed data on 17,800 insulation workers from the U.S. and Canada. Among them, 356 died of mesothelioma by 1984.
Lung Cancer Among Insulation Workers
Asbestos lung cancer is a malignancy of the lungs due to asbestos exposure. The flaky dust produced by asbestos can be easily inhaled, leading to lung tissue irritation. This causes cells to mutate and form tumors, which can grow and spread throughout the body.
Asbestos exposure is the main cause of roughly 7,000-11,000 new cases of lung cancer in the U.S. each year. The only difference in asbestos lung cancer is the root cause of lung cancer – exposure to asbestos.
In 1968, a study reported a significant link between occupational exposure to asbestos and cigarette smoking among 370 insulators in the New York metropolitan area. They estimated that insulators with a history of both exposures had a 90% increased risk of death due to lung cancer compared with never-smokers in the general U.S. population not occupationally exposed to asbestos.
In 1979, they followed 17,800 insulators from 1967-1976. There were at least 429 deaths due to lung cancer. A follow-up in 1991, reported over 1,000 deaths due to lung cancer and increasing risk with age.
Compensation for Insulation Workers
Insulation workers with asbestos diseases such as mesothelioma are entitled to compensation from the companies responsible. Asbestos exposure compensation can pay for treatment, lost income, and debt.
Family members may be exposed secondhand from their loved ones being insulation workers. Asbestos carried into the home on workers’ clothes can expose spouses, parents, siblings, and even children.
Anyone exposed to asbestos from insulation work is entitled to financial help through legal action.
Types of Legal Claims for Asbestos Exposure
Victims can take one of two routes against an at-fault company. The first is filing an asbestos exposure lawsuit, which can lead to a settlement or court verdict.
The second option is filing an asbestos trust fund claim. These claims are against companies that have filed for bankruptcy. They have set aside funds to pay future claimants despite now being bankrupt.
Companies held responsible for asbestos in insulation are often manufacturing companies. They manufactured asbestos insulation products and sold them to construction companies or others that assumed the products were safe. The manufacturing companies were often aware asbestos could be deadly when inhaled or swallowed by workers, yet they continued using the mineral for insulation.
Help for Insulation Workers With Asbestos Diseases
Insulation workers have a significantly increased risk for developing an asbestos disease or type of insulation cancer, especially mesothelioma. In the CDC study, almost half of the insulation workers with mesothelioma had latency periods of 30-39 years.
Asbestos is heavily regulated now, but there is a chance asbestos insulation still remains in older industrial settings. The main risk today is knowing where legacy asbestos insulation could be hiding and following safety protocols.
If you currently work or used to work in insulation and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, there is most likely a connection between the two. If you have questions about your diagnosis, contact our patient advocate and registered nurse Karen Ritter. She can answer any asbestos-related health questions. Email her at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com for the quickest contact.
Sources & Author
- Dangers of Asbestos Contaminated Vermiculite Insulation In Your Home. Today’s Homeowner. Retrieved from: https://todayshomeowner.com/dangers-of-asbestos-contaminated-vermiculite-insulation-in-your-home/. Accessed: 01/03/2023.
- What Does Asbestos Insulation Look Like? Identification & What to Do. The Spruce. Retrieved from: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-identify-dangerous-asbestos-insulation-4119906. Accessed: 01/04/2023.
- Malignant mesothelioma in a cohort of asbestos insulation workers: clinical presentation, diagnosis, and causes of death. British Journal of Industrial Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1007965/. Accessed: 01/05/2023.
- Pathology of lung cancer among asbestos insulation workers. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information. Retrieved from: https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7186685. Accessed: 01/05/2023.
- Malignant mesothelioma in a cohort of asbestos insulation workers: clinical presentation, diagnosis, and causes of death. BMJ Journals Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Retrieved from: https://oem.bmj.com/content/45/3/182. Accessed: 09/20/2023.
- Asbestos and Lung Cancer: What We Know. American Thoracic Society Journal. Retrieved from: https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201305-0885ED. Accessed: 01/05/2023.
AI Summary of Asbestos Exposure for Insulation Workers
This page provides important information about asbestos exposure experienced by insulation workers. Asbestos was widely used in insulation materials throughout the 20th century because of its heat-resistant and fireproof properties. Insulation workers, including those involved in installing, repairing, or removing insulation in buildings and industrial plants, faced significant risks of exposure to asbestos fibers. When disturbed, asbestos-containing materials can release tiny fibers into the air that, if inhaled or ingested, can pose serious health dangers. These dangers include diseases such as mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting the lining of the lungs or abdomen, and lung cancer. Many insulation workers who worked in environments built before the 1980s are still at risk today because of "legacy asbestos," or asbestos left behind in older buildings and facilities.
Asbestos was primarily added to insulation materials to improve their fire resistance and heat absorption qualities. It was often combined with vermiculite, a mineral used in many insulation products, which sometimes contained asbestos contamination. Insulation materials with asbestos were common in industrial settings such as refineries, power plants, factories, and even in residential and commercial buildings, including homes and offices. Workers were exposed whenever they cut, scraped, or handled insulation that contained asbestos, especially during maintenance, re-insulation, or removal work. Recognizing asbestos in older buildings can be difficult, so specialized testing by trained professionals is essential before any removal or disturbance. Because of the health risks, asbestos-containing insulation should always be handled and removed by qualified abatement specialists who follow strict safety protocols.
The health risks associated with asbestos exposure are serious but often take decades to manifest after initial contact. When asbestos fibers become airborne, they can lodge in the lungs or other parts of the body, irritating tissues and potentially leading to cancer. Insulation workers are particularly susceptible because their job involves frequent disturbance of insulation materials. Studies have shown that many insulation workers, particularly those active before the late 20th century, have developed asbestos-related diseases—including mesothelioma and lung cancer—long after their exposure. Legal options are available for those affected, allowing compensation through lawsuits or trust fund claims against manufacturers and responsible companies. If you have worked as an insulation worker and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, understanding your options and seeking support can be crucial. Awareness of the history of asbestos use and the potential risks can help protect current workers and aid those affected in obtaining the help they need.