Asbestos at Wheeling Steel
For over 55
years, Wheeling Steel in Follansbee utilized asbestos extensively in various products.
Records from asbestos trust funds associated with Wheeling Steel show the use of products such as
pipe insulation and pipe coverings,
millboard, panelboard and misc. building materials,
raw asbestos fibers and misc.,
boiler and high-temp equipment insulation,
gaskets, packing and seals,
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,
packing and sealants for drilling/oilfield (drilling muds).
The following list contains asbestos products identified in claims against the
Armstrong World Industries, Babcock & Wilcox, Dresser Industries, G-I Holdings, NARCO, Owens Corning, Owens Corning/Fibreboard asbestos
trust fund(s) linked to exposure at Wheeling Steel in Follansbee, West Virginia:
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
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
G-I Holdings
- Air Cell
- Aristo and Imperial insulation
- Asbestos Paper and Cloth
- Calsilite SS
- Calsilite-Hi
- Cement Roofing Shingles
- Cements, Adhesives, Plasters, and Coatings
- Floor Tiles
- Insulation
- Luran Regency, Airtred and Imperial
- Pipe Covering and Pipes
- Raw Asbestos Fiber
- Roofing, Shingles, Base Felt, and Siding
- Supercell
- T/NA100 and T/NA200
NARCO
- Aerogun
- Anti-Erode
- BOF-Cote
- BOF-Patch
- CM Gun Mix
- CM-18 Gun Mix
- MC Gun Mix
- Narcmag OH Gun Mix
- Narcocast Es Fine Trowel
- Narcocrete Trowel
- Narcogan CM-343
- Narcogan MCD-344
- Narcolite
- Narmag 60 DBRC
- Star-On Cement
- Super 505 Hot Gun C
- Uni-Cote Cement
- WO-339 McGun
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
Owens Corning/Fibreboard
- 85% Magnesia Block, Pipe-covering and Thermal Insulation
- Aircell or Asbestos Paper Insulation
- Alumishield Roof Paint
- Asbestofelt (manufactured by a predecessor)
- Asphalt-Saturated Felts or Roll Roofing
- Caltemp (or Caltherm) Pipe Covering
- Caulking Compounds, Plastic Cements, Roof Coatings
- Colorok, Stormlap, Pabflex and Stonite Asbestos Cement Products
- FI Thermal Insulating Cement
- Flamecurb Gypsum Board
- Gaskets, Packings (manufactured by a predecessor)
- Gripdeck Floor Coating
- Gypsum Board and Lath
- Insulating Tape
- No. 127 Thermal Insulating Cement
- Pabco Pipe Covering
- Pebco Floron Floor Covering
- Plant Pipe Covering
- Prasco Pipe Covering
- Super Caltemp Pipe Covering
Important Note: This list may not be complete and may not include all asbestos-containing
products used at the Wheeling Steel in Follansbee, WV. The specific products
used likely varied over time.
High-Risk Asbestos Exposure Jobs at Wheeling Steel
Due to the extensive use of asbestos at Wheeling Steel, 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
- Carder of Asbestos Yarn
- Carpenter
- Commercial Building Trades
- Construction Laborer
- Demolition Worker
- Diesel Mechanic
- Driller
- Drywall Installer
- Drywall Taper
- Factory
- Field Worker
- 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
- 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 Millboard
- Puncher of Roofing Materials
- Remodeler
- Repairman
- Roofer
- Roofing Materials
- Roustabout
- Sheet Metal Worker
- Siding Installer
- Stationary Engineer
- Steamfitter
- Tile Helper
- Tile Installer
- Tile Layer
- Tile Mechanic
- Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tiles Worker
- 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 Wheeling Steel in Follansbee, West Virginia. This list
may not be exhaustive regarding all high-risk jobs at this location.
Asbestos Exposure Consequences
Wheeling Steel in Follansbee, West Virginia employees were directly exposed to asbestos
throughout their
employment, particularly between 1928 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 Wheeling Steel, 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 Wheeling Steel in Follansbee. 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 Follansbee 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 Wheeling Steel.
Filing Asbestos Claims After Exposure at Wheeling Steel
The eligibility requirements for filing asbestos claims vary depending on the specific trust fund
related to Wheeling Steel in Follansbee, WV. Generally, claimants must
provide:
- Proof of exposure:
Evidence of exposure to asbestos-containing products manufactured or used by Wheeling Steel at
its Follansbee facility between 1928 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 Wheeling Steel in Follansbee.
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 Wheeling Steel site in Follansbee, WV, can vary significantly. For claims against companies responsible for the exposure (civil defendants),
settlements might range from approximately $36,483 and
$2,636,413. 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 Wheeling Steel, including job duties and duration of exposure.