U.S. Steel has been cited for using or handling asbestos-containing materials in its facilities, including in recent years. In fact, in 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), found that the U.S Steel Corporation in Pittsburgh exposed seven different employees to asbestos. In February of 2016, at one of the Corporation’s facilities, five workers were exposed to asbestos after removing and replacing packing material that had asbestos in it. The following month, two other workers burned and removed a section of expansion pipe that had rotted. After being tested, it was found that the pipe contained asbestos. It was the second time in five years that OSHA found that the US Steel Corp. had exposed its workers to asbestos. U.S. Steel has a long history of asbestos exposure claims and regulatory citations.
OSHA found 10 violations and fined the corporation $170,000. It was determined that the US Steel Corp. did not establish a regulated area and did not tell employees that they were in the presence of asbestos-containing materials.
US Steel and Asbestos – Where was the Asbestos?
U.S. Steel, like many steel companies, has been documented as using asbestos in insulation, refractory bricks, boilers and other equipment, which places certain workers at risk. Corporations regularly used asbestos and put all of its workers at risk of exposure and developing asbestos-related diseases. All steel mills tended to use asbestos because it is a good insulator to heat and flames. The material in steel mills that the US Steel Corporation used asbestos in include flooring, boilers, blast furnaces, ovens, insulation and refractory bricks. Anyone who worked at a US Steel facility was at risk of being exposed to asbestos, although some workers were at higher risk than others. For instance, anyone that handled asbestos directly, like those who changed the insulation, were at a high risk of breathing in asbestos fibers.
There is also a chance of second-hand exposure to asbestos. Family members of those who worked at US Steel could have easily been exposed to asbestos, because the workers could have had the asbestos fibers on their clothes, then come home to their families. In turn, the asbestos could easily be inhaled by those near the clothing. Although, it was more of a risk in the past, as evidenced previously, current US Steel workers are still at risk of asbestos exposure as many facilities still have some asbestos containing materials.
Lawsuits
Over the years, numerous lawsuits have been filed against U.S. Steel by former workers who developed asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.
One of the most notable cases came in 2003, when an Illinois jury awarded $250 million to Roby Whittington, a retired U.S. Steel worker from the Gary Works plant. The verdict included $50 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages, at the time, the largest asbestos verdict in U.S. history. The company later reached a confidential settlement with Whittington.
If you or someone you love worked at US Steel or another steel mill and developed mesothelioma from breathing in asbestos, you deserve compensation and here at the Halpern Law Firm our goal is to help you get just that. We have over 30 years of experience with mesothelioma cases, and we have won over $100 million dollars for our clients. Our dedicated attorneys care about all victims of mesothelioma and are here for you. Please call 800-505-6000 or fill out our contact form for a free case evaluation today.
Sources:
https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/region3/08082016
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