Asbestos at Worcester State Hospital
For over 53
years, Worcester State Hospital in Worcester utilized asbestos extensively in various products.
Records from asbestos trust funds associated with Worcester State Hospital 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.
The following list contains asbestos products identified in claims against the
Armstrong World Industries, National Gypsum, Babcock & Wilcox, Owens Corning asbestos
trust fund(s) linked to exposure at Worcester State Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts:
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
National Gypsum
- 35 lb Asbestos Roofing Jacket
- All Purpose Joint Cement
- All Weather Caulking Compound
- Asbestibel Panel
- Asbesto-Grid Panel
- Asbestone Cement Wallboard
- Asbestone Roofing
- Asbestos Ceiling Panels
- Asbestos Cement Siding Shingles
- Asbestos Fiber
- Asbestos Jackets for Pipecovering
- Asbestos Stripping Tape
- Asbestos-Faced Mineral Wool Insulation Board
- Chromashake Siding
- Chromatex Siding
- Chromatone Siding Shingles
- Classic Shake Siding
- Classic “32” Siding
- Corrugated “400” Siding and Roofing Material
- Craftco Cement Paint
- Deeptex Siding
- Dutch Lap Shingles
- Exterior Foam Core Panels
- FlexFelt
- Gold Bond Acoustical Plaster
- Gold Bond Adhesive
- Gold Bond All Purpose Joint Compound
- Gold Bond All-Purpose Joint Cement
- Gold Bond Asbestone Panels
- Gold Bond Asbestos Cement Board
- Gold Bond Asbestos Fiber
- Gold Bond Asbestos Panels
- Gold Bond Asbestos Paper
- Gold Bond Asbestos-Faced Mineral Board
- Gold Bond Ceiling Panels
- Gold Bond Color Textures
- Gold Bond Corrugated “Economy 250” Asbestos Cement Sheet
- Gold Bond Cover Crete
- Gold Bond Craftex
- Gold Bond Crown Coat Cement
- Gold Bond Decorite
- Gold Bond E-Z Spray Texture
- Gold Bond E-Z Tex
- Gold Bond Exterior Stucco
- Gold Bond Finisher
- Gold Bond Fire-Shield Plaster
- Gold Bond High Humidity Acoustical Plaster
- Gold Bond Humiguard
- Gold Bond Humiguard Asbestos Panels
- Gold Bond Insul-Best Panels
- Gold Bond Insulating Cement
- Gold Bond Joint Compound
- Gold Bond Laminating Adhesive A
- Gold Bond Macoustic
- Gold Bond Millboard
- Gold Bond Mortar Mix
- Gold Bond Natcor
- Gold Bond No. 340 Insulating Cement
- Gold Bond Panels
- Gold Bond Patching Plaster
- Gold Bond Perfo-Lyte Acoustical Plaster
- Gold Bond Permaboard
- Gold Bond Plasters
- Gold Bond Plasticryllic Panels
- Gold Bond Pliaboard
- Gold Bond Q-W Compound
- Gold Bond Quik-Treat Joint Compound
- Gold Bond Ready Mixed Joint Cement
- Gold Bond Ready Mixed Joint Compound
- Gold Bond Ripple-Tone Plasticrylic Panels
- Gold Bond Rockwall Acoustic Plaster
- Gold Bond Siding
- Gold Bond Spackling Paste
- Gold Bond Spackling Plaster
- Gold Bond Spray Quick
- Gold Bond Spray Quick A
- Gold Bond Spray-On Acoustical Plaster
- Gold Bond Sprayolite
- Gold Bond Sprayolite Acoustical Plaster
- Gold Bond Sta-Smooth Compound
- Gold Bond Super Westex
- Gold Bond Tar Paper
- Gold Bond Texas Texture
- Gold Bond Texture
- Gold Bond Texture Paint
- Gold Bond Thermo Weld Compound
- Gold Bond Thermotec Asbestos Cement Sheets
- Gold Bond Topping Cement
- Gold Bond Topping Compound
- Gold Bond Tri-Treatment Joint Cement
- Gold Bond Tri-Treatment Joint Compound
- Gold Bond Two-in-One Joint Compound
- Gold Bond Velvet Joint Compound
- Gold Bond Velvet Spray Quick Texture
- Gold Bond Velvet Texture A.R.
- Gold Bond Velvet Topping Compound
- Gold Bond Velvet Triple-T Compound
- Gold Bond Velvet White Super Spray
- Gold Bond Vinyl Texture
- Gold Bond Vinyl Topping Compound
- Gold Bond Wallboard
- Gold Bond Wood Fibered Plaster
- Hexagonal Shingles
- Insul-Best Panels
- Panelectric Groove Fill
- Perfect Spray
- Perforated Panel
- Ranch-Style Shingles
- Rockwall Acoustic Plaster
- RockWool Insulating Cement
- Soffit Panels
- Sprayed “Limpet” Asbestos
- Sussex “32” Siding
- Thermacoustic
- Thermo-Weld Compound
- Thermotec
- Two-in-One Compound
- Unperforated Panel
- Vinyl Topping Compound
- Wesco Joint Treatment
- Woodgrain Siding
Babcock & Wilcox
- FJ Furnace Boilers
- Gauges
- Insulating Firebrick
- Integral Furnace Boilers
- Marine Boilers
- Steam-Generating Boiler Products
- Stirling Boiler
- Type E Pulverizers
Owens Corning
- Ceiling Boards
- Finishing Cement
- Insulating Cement
- Kaylo 10 Block Insulation
- Kaylo 20 Block Insulation
- Kaylo Block Insulation
- Kaylo Heat Insulation
- Kaylo Insulation
- Kaylo Pipe Covering
- Kaylo Pipe Insulation
- One Cote Cement
- Ready Mix
- Type II Mastic
Important Note: This list may not be complete and may not include all asbestos-containing
products used at the Worcester State Hospital in Worcester, MA. The specific products
used likely varied over time.
High-Risk Asbestos Exposure Jobs at Worcester State Hospital
Due to the extensive use of asbestos at Worcester State Hospital, 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
- Drywall Applicator
- Drywall Installer
- Drywall Taper
- Electrician
- Factory
- 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
- Mason
- Mill Worker
- Mixer
- Operating Engineer
- Painter
- Pipe Coverer
- Pipefitter
- Pipe Insulator
- Plasterer
- Plumber
- Powerhouse Mechanic
- Powerhouse Operator
- Puncher of Asbestos Cement Pipes
- Puncher of Roofing Materials
- Remodeler
- Repairman
- Roofer
- Roofing Materials
- 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 Worcester State Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts. This list
may not be exhaustive regarding all high-risk jobs at this location.
Asbestos Exposure Consequences
Worcester State Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts employees were directly exposed to asbestos
throughout their
employment, particularly between 1930 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 Worcester State Hospital, 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 Worcester State Hospital in Worcester. 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 Worcester 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 Worcester State Hospital.
Filing Asbestos Claims After Exposure at Worcester State Hospital
The eligibility requirements for filing asbestos claims vary depending on the specific trust fund
related to Worcester State Hospital in Worcester, MA. Generally, claimants must
provide:
- Proof of exposure:
Evidence of exposure to asbestos-containing products manufactured or used by Worcester State Hospital at
its Worcester facility between 1930 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 Worcester State Hospital in Worcester.
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 Worcester State Hospital site in Worcester, MA, can vary significantly. For claims against companies responsible for the exposure (civil defendants),
settlements might range from approximately $28,325 and
$1,758,876. 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 Worcester State Hospital, including job duties and duration of exposure.