Boilermakers

History and Background

The name "Boilermaker" is a general term used to identify those who constructed and installed boilers, vats, and other large heating and pressure vessels. Along with construction, these men and women often maintained and repaired old and damaged boilers.

Boilermakers also read blueprints, marked reference points on boiler foundations, worked with crane operators to move and position boilers, and tested boiler parts for leaks and other defects.

From the 1920s through the early 1970s, asbestos was widely used during the construction of boilers, creating a health risk for those who worked on them. A number of different companies manufactured boilers during tha period including: Babcock & Wiclox, Combustion Engineering, Foster Wheeler, Erie City, Kewanee, Hercules and others. Asbestos was a cheap and effective fireproof form of insulation on and around the boilers. Asbestos paper, or blankets, were wrapped around pipes and often applied to the floors and walls to create a completely heat and fire resistant environment. Since it was also pliable, asbestos was utilized as gaskets to seal joints and doors.

Asbestos creates a major health issue when it becomes airborne and is subsequently inhaled by those around it. Boilermakers were at considerable risk because part of their job entailed using tools such as hammers and files, to remove unequal and jagged edges on the boilers, thus getting dust and small particles in the air. Due to its widespread use, many of these edges were made of or contained asbestos. Boilermakers often worked in confined quarters with very little light. Lack of adequate ventilation may have contributed to the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers.

Boilers have incredible longevity and can oftentimes last upwards of 30 years, though requiring occasional work. Boilermakers spent much of their time doing maintenance and repair on the older boilers. The asbestos insulation would fray and crack due to age and even water damage. This insulation would have to be removed and replaced, again putting the boilermakers into a dangerous environment with asbestos dust in the air.

Boilermakers and Mesothelioma Cancer Risk

Boilermakers were frequently at risk of being exposed to asbestos on the job and, as a result, at risk for developing mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma has dramatically affected the lives of many men and women who worked in blue collar trades as well as their families. It is a disease that often goes undetected until it has reached an advanced stage where treatment options become more limited. If you worked as a boilermaker and have been experiencing mesothelioma symptoms, it may be wise to seek the advice of a physician. The early symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to those of an upper respiratory illness and, on the face, may seem harmless. Mesothelioma cancer, on the other hand, is a serious illness for which no cure has yet been discovered. Early detection, therefore, is critical to a more favorable outcome.