AsbestosAsbestos Industry

Who is at Risk?Pipefitters and Asbestos Exposure

History and Background

The occupation of Pipefitter can be defined as someone who designs, installs, and repairs any system of pipes. These pipes can carry almost anything - including steam, water, air, gases, even human waste. The over-arching term of 'Pipefitter' includes anyone who works on or constructs piping systems, though it can be broken into sections depending on a person's specialty. Generally, 'Pipefitter' refers to someone who performs these tasks in large scale commercial operations or manufacturing. Those who work on piping systems in homes or smaller commercial ventures are known as 'Plumbers', and those who specialize in systems that move gases or liquids under high pressure are called 'Steamfitters'. While these men and women focus primarily on their own area of expertise, they share many similarities, from the construction of the systems to their maintenance.

From the 1940s until the 1980s Pipefitters (including all areas of expertise) were often exposed to asbestos while performing their everyday tasks. Asbestos is a mineral that was used extensively as insulation because it is abundant and heat-retardant. However, asbestos is hazardous to a worker's health when its dust becomes airborne and is breathed in, causing several diseases. Pipefitters were at risk because of their jobs and their work with, and on, asbestos products.

Tasks Putting Pipefitters at Risk

The tasks in which a Pipefitter would partake include everything from mapping out a possible job to construction, installation, and maintenance. These men and women would often work in tight work spaces in close proximity to potentially hazardous materials, including asbestos, while not wearing protective gear. If asbestos is contained, it is not necessarily dangerous; once it becomes airborne (i.e. dust) it is harmful to those who breathe it in.

The asbestos products listed below would often need to be fitted to specific projects due to such as size limitations. The asbestos paper would need to be cut, and the block insulation and filler products often needed to be sanded down depending on the situation. Through these processes, asbestos dust would get into the air. Pipefitters would also use gaskets that were either made with asbestos, or made of asbestos. It is difficult to create a perfect gasket, so the Pipefitter would have to grind it or sand it down, again creating a dangerous environment with asbestos dust in the air.

Over time the insulation products would need to be maintained or replaced making a potentially dangerous situation due to broken pieces and dust that would become airborne during removal.

Types of Asbestos Products Pipefitters Used - Pipe Insulation

Aircell - corrugated asbestos paper, looks comparably like gray cardboard (Trade names: Asbestocel and Carcycel, among others). This product is usually high in concentration, anywhere between 50 - 90% asbestos. It was also wrapped around air supply ducts.

Block Insulation - a combination of asbestos with other binders that was then hardened to create blocks for insulation. The outside surface was commonly covered with cloth made from canvas or tar paper, but it was occasionally used without any covering at all.

The following are types of block insulation commonly used by pipefitters:

• Amosite Sheeting: amosite (a type of asbestos) that was processed and covered with felt that was mainly used for pipe insulation.
• Carbonate of Magnesia: asbestos combined with magnesium carbonate.
• Diatomaceous Earth with Asbestos Fiber: a combination of diatomaceous silica (the remains of microscopic diatoms) and asbestos fiber that could withstand temperatures up to 1900° Fahrenheit.
• Hydrous Calcium Silicate: known as 'Calsil', made primarily of lime and silica but with a small amount of asbestos that was included for mechanical purposes.
• Joint/Elbow Fillers: also called 'insulation cement' or 'insulation mud' made up of asbestos combined with bonding clays. This product was often poured into inaccessible spaces or used to seal pipe joints or elbows.
• Laminated Asbestos Felt: known as 'asbestos sponge felt', made with asbestos and magnesia.

Pipefitters At Risk for Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Diseases

By the mid 1970s, strong evidence was uncovered regarding the health dangers associated with prolonged exposure to asbestos. Many who had worked with asbestos for extended periods of time were coming down with pulmonary diseases (such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis) from breathing asbestos dust.

The asbestos related diseases include:

• Mesothelioma: a type of cancer only caused by asbestos exposure that attacks the lining around the lungs and/or heart and/or abdomen. The most common form is pleural mesothelioma (lung lining), then peritoneal mesothelioma (stomach lining), and then pericardial mesothelioma (heart lining).
• Asbestos Related Lung Cancer: while lung cancer can come from numerous sources, asbestos exposure can lead to the formation of a malignant tumor that blocks the air passages. Cigarette smoking drastically increases the chance of developing an asbestos-related lung cancer in exposed workers. Asbestos workers who do not smoke have a fivefold greater risk of developing lung cancer than non-smokers, and those asbestos workers who smoke have a risk that is 50 to 90 times greater than non-smokers.
• Asbestosis: a pulmonary condition, only caused by exposure to asbestos, where scar tissue builds up in the lungs causing breathing problems and low blood flow.

The diseases associated with asbestos are similar in that their symptoms often do not appear for many years after exposure. It is not uncommon for someone to develop lung cancer after a 10 year lag between onset and initial exposure. Mesothelioma and asbestosis often do not become apparent for 30 to 40 years after the initial exposure to asbestos. Common symptoms include: difficulty breathing, chest pains, a dry hacking cough that sometimes contained blood.

The health problems associated with asbestos were not just isolated to people who worked with the product. The asbestos dust would spread easily through the air putting workers who never used it at risk. Family members were also at risk because workers would return home with the dust on their clothes, shoes and even hair.

Other Common Terms for 'Pipefitters'

If you have any questions about pipefitters and asbestos exposure, please contact us.