Machinists

History and Background

The term "Machinist" generally refers to someone who works with machine tools. It is a generic term that can encompass anyone who uses machine tools - such as lathes, milling machines, and machining centers - to produce precise metal parts. These men and women carefully plan and map out every aspect of their job so that there are few errors. Once they have everything set, they create their products. Often a machinist will create many copies of a single part, but they oftentimes just make small batches or one-of-a-kind pieces depending on the situation.

A machinist mainly works within the construction industry, though that does not limit what they do. Machinists often create parts that are used in building skyscrapers, ships, and even commercial piping systems. They also do maintenance work when it's needed and create replacement pieces when older ones are no longer sufficient. A machinist can have a constant job, for instance at a shipyard, or they can freelance working different construction sites as often as they are needed.

Tasks Putting Machinists at Risk for Asbestos Exposure

Until asbetsos became restricted, machinists often used asbestos-containing products. The process of machining metal parts creates a lot of heat and asbestos was often used to insulate areas that saw increased temperatures. Asbestos paper could be used around steam pipes or electrical wires as well as valves. The insulation would have to be cut and fitted and then maintained. As it aged, the asbestos insulation could get cracked putting small particles of asbestos into the air, thus posing a serious risk.

Machinists also created products that contained asbestos. For instance, many kinds of pumps and valves were finished using an asbestos and graphite gasket. A machinist would remove the old gasket, which contained asbestos, then cut a piece of the asbestos-graphite material and fit it to the valve. Removing the old gasket, as well as cutting and fitting the new gasket could throw asbestos dust in the air, thus creating a dangerous environment. An example of companies that created gaskets and sealants using asbestos are: John Crane Company, and Power Engineering Company.

Machinists would also protect themselves from the excess heat by wearing clothing that contained asbestos in it, including gloves, leggings and aprons. Not only did these allow the workers to protect themselves from the heat, they were also designed to be protection against possible sparks. Asbestos blankets and cloth were also used to regulate heat if a machine was getting too hot. These articles of asbestos cloth and clothing would oftentimes fray, thus allowing asbestos particles to get into the air.

Mesothelioma in Machinists Who Were Exposed to Asbestos

Many machinists may have been exposed to asbestos without even knowing it. As a result, some are finding that they have developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease like lung cancer or asbestosis.

Prior to the 1970's many companies manufactured a host of different asbestos-containing products to be used in applications where extreme heat or fire was present. Asbestos paper and asbestos insulation were just two of the types of products that machinists came in contact with while performing their job. Because they were not made aware of the hazards of working with this material, they did not take proper safety precautions when working with it.

Asbestos companies were negligent in informing the public about the hazards of working with asbestos for a very long time. If you were a machinist and believe that you may have been exposed to asbestos on the job, it is important for you to know what the symptoms of mesothelioma are, and if you have these symptoms, to seek medical attention right away.