Asbestos Exposure for Machinists

Importance of Machinery in American Industrialism

Industrialism is a social or economic system built on manufacturing industries. American manufacturing industries boomed during significant war periods in the late 19th and 20th centuries. World War II was a turning point for American manufacturing. The demand for military defense weapons, vehicles, uniforms and basic public necessities was more than the supply. This is when manufacturing industries turned to machinery to help the efficiency of certain industrial processes.

For instance, consider the procedures for nearly any American industry — manufacturing, mining, construction and others — and you’ll see operating machinery is a common theme in all of them. This technology, and the machinists who operated them, were just as prevalent in these industries as asbestos.

Numerous scientific sources and studies point to machinists as a job occupation often linked to exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral capable of preventing overheating and fires.

How Machinists Were Exposed to Asbestos

Machinists operate, maintain, repair and assemble various types of machines, including hand tools or automatic machinery. These machines – such as lathes, mills, and grinders – are used to create or modify manufacturing parts made of metal, plastic or wood. 

When operating the machines, the parts grind together. Asbestos is delicate and can easily break apart, releasing sharp fibers into the air. Machinists likely worked in a cloud of dust, unknowingly breathing in or swallowing loose fibers.

Machinists were also exposed in other ways. First, if they were using a machine on a manufacturing part that included asbestos — such as a gasket or clutch — then they were likely cutting, drilling, and grinding it into the perfect shape. These actions could release asbestos into the air, putting the machinist and anyone in close proximity in danger.

Machinists would also cut new gaskets to fit the flange size. When removing the old gasket, it would often be stuck in the flange, so they would grind it out or more often use a wire brush to scrape out the old gaskets. Both acts could lead to occupational asbestos exposure for general machinists.

Asbestos-Containing Materials in Machinery

Some of the asbestos-containing materials in machinery – posing a risk for machinists – were:

Using machinery on materials containing asbestos could also disturb and release fibers. Examples are insulation, gaskets, brake linings, clutch plates, electrical panels, and more.

Types of Machinists Exposed to Asbestos

There are several roles machinists can have in their profession. They can work in power plants, mills, or on Navy ships. They can also serve in specific jobs, such as machinery mechanic, Tool & Die Maker, CNC programmer, prototype machinist, field machinist, precision machinist, and drill press operator.

Most, if not all, of these jobs can involve exposure to asbestos when handling machinery that produces or works with heat. Machinists in these jobs during the 20th century were exposed regularly. Machinists today are exposed when working with outdated machinery.

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Asbestos Cancer Risk for Machinists

Asbestos is linked to several types of cancer: lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and a rare type called mesothelioma. Machinists exposed to asbestos have a higher-than-average risk of developing lung cancer and mesothelioma.

A noncancerous lung-scarring disease called asbestosis is also possible from asbestos exposure. This disease can be deadly.

Mesothelioma Among Machinists

The presence of asbestos in blue-collar industries for most of the 20th century put millions of American workers at risk of developing mesothelioma. This rare cancer is diagnosed in 2,500 people in the U.S. each year. It forms in the lining of the lungs and abdomen, and the tumors can spread to nearby organs quickly. The average survival time for patients is one year.

Georgetown University and Duke University experts found 89 reported mesothelioma cases among machinists. This number was near the top of the list among at-risk occupations.

Machinists were part of many industries, including construction of railroads during a boom of industrialism in the 20th century.

The American Journal of Industrial Medicine published data regarding cancer-related deaths for members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The data focused on people working as machinists in the railroad industry. The publication reported 42 mesothelioma cases among former railroad machinists.

The risk was present for machinists in other industries, too. The researchers found 16 additional reported cases of mesothelioma.

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Legal Avenues for Machinists With an Asbestos Disease

Machinists with an asbestos disease, such as mesothelioma cancer, are justified in taking legal action. Companies that produced and sold asbestos for use in machinery – or for other parts that machines were used to create or adjust – put many workers in harm’s way.

Filing a mesothelioma legal claim can give machinists and their families proper restitution in the face of challenging health issues.

Lawsuits and Asbestos Trust Funds

Filing a lawsuit or an asbestos trust fund is the main way to receive mesothelioma compensation for machinist asbestos exposure. Lawsuits and trust funds are the two main legal avenues for people exposed to asbestos.

Mesothelioma lawsuits are filed against companies actively operating. They usually end in settlements favoring the victim of asbestos exposure or their surviving loved ones (if the machinist has already died from their asbestos disease).

Asbestos trust funds are bank accounts with money set aside to help machinists and other workers exposed to asbestos. Trust funds are created by companies that file for bankruptcy. These funds offer victims a way to receive compensation even though they cannot file a lawsuit against the responsible company.

Help for Machinists With Mesothelioma

If you worked as a machinist and have the rare cancer mesothelioma, please contact our staff. We can help you find state-of-the-art treatment for your cancer, along with options for financial assistance.

Please email our patient advocate and registered nurse, Karen Ritter, at karen@mesotheliomaguide.com. If you worked as a machinist in the military, email our retired Navy LCDR Carl Jewett at cjewett@mesotheliomaguide.com.

Sources & Author

1. Mesothelioma among machinists in railroad and other industries. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6869375/. Accessed: 09/03/2020.
2. Malignant Mesothelioma and Occupational Exposure to Asbestos: an Analysis of 1445 Cases. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12036093/. Accessed: 08/11/2020.

About the Writer, David Statman

David Statman is a Content Writer for Mesothelioma Guide. He received both his bachelor's and master's in journalism from West Virginia University, and has been in medical publishing since January 2022. He previously worked in sports journalism, primarily reporting on West Virginia sports for a number of publications.

He lives in Delaware with his wife, dog and two cats, and avidly competes as a professional wrestler in the Philadelphia area.