Asbestos at Commonwealth Edison
For over 56
years, Commonwealth Edison in Hammond utilized asbestos extensively in various products.
Records from asbestos trust funds associated with Commonwealth Edison show the use of products such as
pipe insulation and pipe coverings,
raw asbestos fibers and misc.,
boiler and high-temp equipment insulation,
gaskets, packing and seals,
fireproofing materials and sprays,
flooring materials (tiles, sheet, adhesives),
joint compounds, insulating cements, adhesives and mastics,
roofing and siding shingles, coatings and sealants,
floor underlayments, backings and felts,
sprayed or trowled acoustic/decorative plasters and textures,
asbestos cement sheets, siding and boards,
packing and sealants for drilling/oilfield (drilling muds),
boiler and high-temp equipment insulation .
The following list contains asbestos products identified in claims against the
Armstrong World Industries, Babcock & Wilcox, Combustion Engineering, Dresser Industries, Turner & Newall asbestos
trust fund(s) linked to exposure at Commonwealth Edison in Hammond, Indiana:
Armstrong World Industries
- 314 Acoustic Cement
- Accobest Gasketing Material
- Accopac Asbestos Paper
- Armaspray
- Armaspray 16 Spray-on Insulation
- Armatemp Cement No. 10
- Asphalt Tile
- CC Navy Sealer
- Emulsions
- Excelon Tile
- Excelon Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tile
- Finishes
- FRJ
- Heavy Duty FRJ
- Heavy-Duty FRJ Insulation Jacket
- Hydrocord Flooring Felt
- LT Sealer
- LT – Cork Covering
- LT – Minus Thirty Cork Covering
- LT – Thirty Cork Covering
- LT – Zero Cork Covering
- Mastics
- Nonpareil High Pressure Cement
- Nonpareil High Pressure Covering Block
- Ring Facing Material
- Rubber Tile
- S-89 (Adhesive)
- S-89 Adhesive
- S-90 (Adhesive)
- S-90 Adhesive
- Sealers
- Sheet Gasketing Material
- Sprayed Limpet
- Vinyl Asbestos Tile
Babcock & Wilcox
- FJ Furnace Boilers
- Gauges
- Insulating Firebrick
- Integral Furnace Boilers
- Marine Boilers
- Steam-Generating Boiler Products
- Stirling Boiler
- Type E Pulverizers
Combustion Engineering
- Block Stick
- Boilers
- Buck Stay Cement A- 1360
- Calcrete Insulating Cement
- Castablock Insulating Cement
- Expansion Joint Hat
- Fibrous Adhesive
- Gunisul
- Hilite Insulating Cement
- Kaiser Hard Top Insulating Cement
- Kaiser M Block Insulation
- Lite Wate 22
- Lite Wate 50
- MHD Finishing Cement
- Mix A
- Permiseal Weathercoating
- Pyroscat Fireproofing Cement
- SDK 50 Cement
- Stic-Tite Cement
- Stick-Tite Insulating Cement
- Super 711 Insulating Cement
- Super Finish Insulating Cement
- Super Finish Stick-Tite Insulating Cement
- Super Stick-Tite Insulating Cement
- Utility Thermal Finish Cement
- WeatherKote Protective Air-Check Cement
- WeatherKote Protective Coating
- WeatherKote Protective Duriseal
- WeatherKote Protective Thermal Coat
Dresser Industries
- Alco Locomotives
- Baroid Drilling Mud-Diaseal
- Baroid Drilling Mud-Flosal
- Baroid Drilling Mud-Super Visbestos
- Baroid Drilling Mud-Visbestos
- Bay State Abrasives
- Clark Compressor
- Consolidated Safety Valve
- Dresser Pump
- Dresser-Rand Compressor
- Dresser-Rand Turbine
- IMCO Drilling Mud-Best
- IMCO Drilling Mud-Diaseal
- IMCO Drilling Mud-Flosal
- IMCO Drilling Mud-Shurlift
- IMCO Drilling Mud-Super Best
- IMCO Drilling Mud-Super Visbestos
- IMCO Drilling Mud-Univis
- IMCO Drilling Mud-Visbestos
- Ingersoll-Dresser Pump
- Kellogg Brown & Root
- Leroi Compressor
- Magcobar Drilling Mud-Diaseal M
- Magcobar Drilling Mud-Flosal
- Magcobar Drilling Mud-Oilfaze
- Magcobar Drilling Mud-Visbestos
- Magcobar Drilling Mud-Visquick
- Manning, Maxwell & Moore
- Mid-Valley
- Moore Turbine
- Pacific Pump
- Roots Compressor
- Terry Steam Turbine Co.
- Worthington Compressor
- Worthington Pump
- Worthington Turbine
- Worthington-Moore Turbine
Turner & Newall
- Atlas 85% Magnesia
- Atlas Newtempheit
- Sindanyo Asbestos Electric Arc and Heat Resisting Board
- Trafford Tile Asbestos Cement Sheets
- Aircell Pipe Covering
- Featherweight Pipe Covering
- K & M Hy-Temp Block Insulation
- K & M Pipe Covering
- K & M Rope Packing
- Kaytherm Pipe Covering
Important Note: This list may not be complete and may not include all asbestos-containing
products used at the Commonwealth Edison in Hammond, IN. The specific products
used likely varied over time.
High-Risk Asbestos Exposure Jobs at Commonwealth Edison
Due to the extensive use of asbestos at Commonwealth Edison, employees working in the following
positions were exposed to a significant risk of developing asbestos-related diseases:
- Abatement Worker
- Acoustical Installer
- Acoustical Worker
- Asbestos Worker
- Auto Mechanic
- Bagger
- Bag Opener
- Bale Press Operator
- Bale Roller
- Boiler Inspector
- Boilermaker
- Boiler Mechanic Helper
- Boiler Operator
- Boiler Repair
- Boiler Tender
- Boiler Worker
- Bricklayer
- Carder of Asbestos Yarn
- Carpenter
- Cement Mason
- Checker
- Commercial Building Trades
- Construction Crew
- Construction Laborer
- Demolition Worker
- Diesel Mechanic
- Driller
- Drywall Applicator
- Drywall Installer
- Drywall Taper
- Electrician
- Factory
- Field Worker
- Fireproofing Sprayer
- Flooring Installer
- Floor Tile & Linoleum Layer
- Furnace Installer
- Furnace Insulator
- Furnace Operator
- Furnace Repairman
- Gaskets
- Industrial Engineer
- Insulation Worker
- Insulator
- Lagger
- Lather
- Machinist
- Machinist Helper
- Maintenance Man
- Maintenance Mechanic
- Maintenance Mechanic in oilfield operations
- Mason
- Mill Worker
- Mixer
- Oil Field Worker
- Operating Engineer
- Packing & Sealant Mixer or Operator
- Painter
- Pipe Coverer
- Pipefitter
- Pipe Insulator
- Plasterer
- Plumber
- Powerhouse Mechanic
- Powerhouse Operator
- Pumpman
- Puncher of Asbestos Cement Pipes
- Puncher of Roofing Materials
- Remodeler
- Repairman
- Roofer
- Roofing Materials
- Roustabout
- Sheet Metal Worker
- Siding Installer
- Spray Gun Worker
- Stationary Engineer
- Steamfitter
- Tile Helper
- Tile Installer
- Tile Layer
- Tile Mechanic
- Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tiles Worker
- Warehouseman
- Weaver of Asbestos Fibers
Important Note:
This list is derived from trust fund data associated with asbestos exposure claims, focusing on products
manufactured or supplied by companies related to relevant trust funds. It identifies occupations known to
have used these types of products at Commonwealth Edison in Hammond, Indiana. This list
may not be exhaustive regarding all high-risk jobs at this location.
Asbestos Exposure Consequences
Commonwealth Edison in Hammond, Indiana employees were directly exposed to asbestos
throughout their
employment, particularly between 1927 and 1982, when asbestos was heavily used.
Asbestos fibers,
microscopic and easily inhaled, are incredibly durable. Once inhaled, they can lodge in the lungs and
other organs. The body struggles to remove these fibers, leading to chronic inflammation and scarring.
For those who worked at Commonwealth Edison, this process significantly increased the risk of severe and
often fatal asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and various
pleural conditions.
Secondary Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos exposure extended beyond the Commonwealth Edison in Hammond. Workers often unknowingly
carried
asbestos dust home on their clothing, skin, hair, and tools. This resulted in secondary, or “take-home,”
exposure for family members residing in Hammond and surrounding communities. Even low levels of asbestos
exposure can be harmful, and these diseases often have a long latency period, sometimes appearing
decades after the initial exposure, leaving families devastated years after a loved one worked
at Commonwealth Edison.
Filing Asbestos Claims After Exposure at Commonwealth Edison
The eligibility requirements for filing asbestos claims vary depending on the specific trust fund
related to Commonwealth Edison in Hammond, IN. Generally, claimants must
provide:
- Proof of exposure:
Evidence of exposure to asbestos-containing products manufactured or used by Commonwealth Edison at
its Hammond facility between 1927 and 1982.
- Diagnosis: Medical documentation confirming a diagnosis of a qualifying asbestos-related
disease, such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis.
- Causation: Evidence demonstrating a connection between the diagnosed disease and the asbestos
exposure at Commonwealth Edison in Hammond.
Important Note: Each asbestos trust fund has specific criteria, claim forms, and procedures.
Average Settlement Ranges by Type of Asbestos-Related Disease
Average settlements for asbestos-related diseases linked to exposure at the Commonwealth Edison site in Hammond, IN, can vary significantly. For claims against companies responsible for the exposure (civil defendants),
settlements might range from approximately $27,743 and
$1,913,175. The specific amount awarded depends on
factors such as the severity of the disease, the claimant’s medical history, and details of their employment
at Commonwealth Edison, including job duties and duration of exposure.