Pennsylvania Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017

3,092
Mesothelioma Deaths
568
Asbestosis Deaths
3,660
Total Deaths

Asbestos Exposure in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for mesothelioma and asbestosis deaths. The state’s long history of coal mining and asbestos mining is largely responsible for the alarming numbers.

Pennsylvania also has industries, such as shipbuilding, steelmaking, pipefitting, and construction. These industries have been known to use asbestos materials in their operations. Workers in these industries were likely exposed to asbestos during the course of their work.

Asbestos in the Steel Industry

The steel industry in Pennsylvania was largely responsible for the state’s economic growth and prosperity. However, steelmaking is a process that involves the use of very high heat and flames. Workers and equipment were protected from extreme temperatures with asbestos materials. Asbestos was frequently used in insulation materials and as a flame retardant because of its heat resistant properties. Unfortunately, workers were exposed to the deadly asbestos fibers and many developed asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Vermiculite and Asbestos

Many states across the country received asbestos tainted vermiculite from Libby, Montana, and Pennsylvania is no exception. The contaminated vermiculite was shipped to processing facilities across the state where it was used to manufacture insulation and other products. Workers that had to handle and process the tainted vermiculite were at high risk of exposure to toxic asbestos fibers.

Below is a partial list of work sites in Pennsylvania with known asbestos exposure:

Partial list of work sites in Pennsylvania with known asbestos exposure
  • A.P. Green Plant
  • ALCOA Aluminum Rolled Products Plant
  • Allegheny Aluminum Plant
  • Allenwood Steel Company
  • Allied Chemical Plant
  • American Bridge Shipyard
  • Amstar Sugar Refinery
  • Armco Steel Mill
  • Armstrong Flooring Plant
  • B.F. Goodrich Tire & Rubber Plant
  • Babcock & Wilcox Seamless Tube Plant
  • Barbados Island Power Plant
  • Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant
  • Bethlehem Steel Co.
  • Boeing Aircraft Plant
  • Boeing Helicopter Plant
  • Bristol Steel Mill
  • Bruce Mansfield Power Plant
  • Carnegie Technical School
  • CertainTeed Plant
  • Cheswick Generating Station Power Plant
  • Chevron Oil Refinery
  • Cleaver Brooks Boiler Plant
  • Conemaugh Power Plant
  • Copperweld Steel Rod & Wire Mill
  • Cromby Generating Station
  • Crucible Steel Plant, aka LTV Specialty Steel Products Plant
  • Dravo Shipyard
  • Duncan & Miller Glass Plant
  • Duquesne Power Plant
  • Elrama Power Plant
  • Firestone Tire & Chemical Plant
  • Gateway Center
  • General Electric
  • Glatfelter Pulp and Paper Mill
  • Golf Tower
  • Gulf Oil Refinery
  • H.J. Heinz Manufacturing Plant
  • Hammermill Paper Mill
  • Hatfield’s Ferry Power Plant
  • Heintz Manufacturing Plant
  • Homer City Power Generating Station
  • Hussey Copper Plant
  • Inquirer Building Press Room
  • J & L Steel
  • Jessop Specialty Steel Mill
  • Johnsonville Naval Air & Research Center
  • Kendall Refinery
  • Martins Creek Power Plant
  • Mathis Shipyard
  • Mesta Machine Steel Machinery Manufacturing Plant
  • Mitchell Power Station
  • National Castings Foundry
  • National Sugar Refinery aka Jack Frost Sugar
  • New Castle Power Generating Station
  • New Jersey Zinc Refinery Smelter
  • New York Gas Compressor Station
  • Owens‐Corning Fiberglass Plant
  • Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station
  • Peach Bottom Nuclear Power Plant
  • Penn Center Building
  • Penn Central Railroad
  • Penn State College
  • Pennsylvania Railroad
  • Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) Eddystone Station Power Plant
  • Philadelphia Naval Yard
  • Pittsburgh Plate (PPG) Glass Plant
  • Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) World Headquarters Building
  • Rohm & Haas
  • Scott Paper Mill
  • Sharon Steel
  • Sharon Tube Company
  • Shawville Power Plant
  • Sinclair – Koppers Chemical Plant
  • St. Joseph Minerals Zinc Smelter
  • State School
  • Sun Oil (Sunoco) Refinery
  • Sun Oil (Sunoco) Refinery fka Chevron Refinery and Atlantic Refinery
  • Sun Shipbuilding Shipyard
  • Temple University
  • Temple University Hospital
  • Temple University Mental Health Facility
  • The Budd Company Automotive and Railcar Assembly Plant
  • Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant
  • U.S. Naval Damage Control Training Center
  • U.S. Steel Mill
  • United States Glass Plant
  • United States Steel
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Warner Concrete Plant
  • Washington Steel Mill
  • Westinghouse
  • Wheeling‐Pittsburgh Steel Mill
  • Willow Grove Navan Air Station and Joint Reserve Base

Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in Pennsylvania

There is a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit for mesothelioma that varies for each state called the statute of limitations. This means if you do not file within the time limit, you will never be able to pursue legal action or obtain compensation. It’s important that you take legal action within this time frame so you do not miss out on receiving the compensation you may deserve. Contact us here to learn more about how we can help.

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What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a deadly and rare form of malignant cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure. The most common forms of mesothelioma are: pleural and peritoneal. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the abdominal cavity.

Victims with pleural mesothelioma may have respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue. Victims with peritoneal mesothelioma may have abdominal swelling, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.

The latency period for mesothelioma is very long. The average latency period is about 30 years, but can be shorter than 15 years or longer than 40 years. This means individuals with mesothelioma may take decades to present symptoms from the time they were exposed to asbestos.

What is asbestosis?

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by asbestos exposure. When asbestos is inhaled the fibers irritate and scar the lining of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. The lungs become stiff and cannot expand and contract normally. Symptoms of asbestosis are shortness of breath, chest pain, and a dry, persistent cough. Like mesothelioma, the latency period for asbestosis is very long. Symptoms may not present for 10 to 40 years after asbestos exposure.

Military Asbestos Exposure

It is extremely important to know that our attorneys do not sue the military. We seek accountability from the asbestos companies that sold dangerous asbestos products to the military.

Members of all branches of the military may have been exposed to asbestos before it became more restricted in the 1970s. The U.S. military used asbestos products in many areas because of its low cost, durability, and heat resistant properties. The common use of these asbestos products put many U.S. veterans at risk of developing asbestos related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. Below is a list of the military branches and common asbestos exposure sites:

  • Navy – shipyards, boiler rooms, submarines
  • Army – barracks, shipyards, construction
  • Marine Corps – armored vehicles, barracks, ships, aircraft
  • Coast Guard – inside ships, ships, boiler rooms
  • Air Force- bases, airplanes, jets, aircraft maintenance