Power Plant Asbestos Exposure in North Carolina

worker at a power plant

Power Plant Asbestos Exposure in North Carolina

worker at a power plant

If you were exposed to asbestos while working at a power plant and have developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, the attorneys at Ward Black Law are prepared to help you seek compensation for your losses.

At Ward Black Law, we understand how devastating it is to find that you’ve developed a disease from exposure to a product you didn’t know was harmful. With over 30 years of experience fighting for injured workers, we’ve successfully helped more than 1,000 people in North Carolina with asbestos claims. Importantly, our expertise extends beyond North Carolina, as we are equipped to assist individuals who have had asbestos exposures in other states as well. Regardless of where your exposure occurred, we are ready to provide the same dedicated legal support for you.

Contact us for a free case evaluation to learn more about what we can do for you.

Are North Carolina Power Plant Workers at Risk for Asbestos Exposure?

Asbestos products were common in power plants until the late 1970s because of their ability to protect machinery and prevent fires. However, they released asbestos fibers into the air, which nearby workers unwittingly inhaled.

The human body cannot break down asbestos, which can sit in the lungs and other tissue for decades, causing inflammation and leading to several diseases, including a deadly form of cancer of the covering of the lungs called mesothelioma.

Anyone who has worked at a power plant in North Carolina likely did so in the presence of asbestos products. These Duke Energy Corporation power plants in North Carolina were known to use asbestos-containing products:

  • Duke Power Allen Steam Station in Gaston County
  • Carolina Power & Light Brunswick Nuclear Plant in Southport
  • Duke Power Riverbend Steam Station in Gaston County
  • Duke Power Lee Power Plant in Goldsboro
  • Carolina Power & Light Cape Fear Steam Plant in Moncure
  • Duke Power Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County
  • Carolina Power & Light Roxboro Power Plant in Semora
  • Duke Power McGuire Nuclear Station in Mecklenburg County
  • Carolina Power & Light Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant in New Hill
  • Duke Power Marshall Steam Station in Catawba County
  • Duke Power Cliffside Steam Station in Rutherford County
  • Duke Power McGuire Nuclear Station in Mecklenburg County

Asbestos-containing materials Found in Power Plants

Asbestos was used in a variety of products because of its excellent insulating and fire-resistant properties – properties that made it commonplace for use in power plants. Materials containing asbestos typically included:

  • Gaskets and packing
  • Cement products
  • Fireproofing
  • Turbines
  • Firebricks
  • Industrial boilers
  • Electrical equipment
  • Insulation materials
  • Plaster
  • Flooring and ceiling tiles
  • Pipes and plumbing
  • Asbestos-containing blankets

Who Is at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Power Plants?

The following workers are at particular risk of asbestos exposure in power plants:

  • Operating engineers
  • Boilermakers
  • Carpenters
  • Electricians
  • Insulators
  • Engineers
  • Forklift operators
  • Heavy equipment operators
  • Helpers
  • Utility men
  • Inspectors
  • Superintendents
  • Instrument fitters and technicians
  • Ironworkers
  • Laborers
  • Sheet metal workers
  • Laggers
  • Boiler inspectors and operators
  • Machinists
  • Maintenance electricians and mechanics
  • Maintenance supervisors
  • Pipe coverers
  • Millwrights
  • Oilers
  • Painters
  • Masons
  • Electrical engineers
  • Hod carriers
  • Foremen
  • Welders
  • Pipefitters
  • Plumbers
  • Bricklayers
  • Powerhouse employees
  • Stationary engineers
  • Steamfitters
  • Storeroom clerks
  • Technicians

Secondary Asbestos Exposure from Power Plants

Plant workers aren’t the only ones at risk of asbestos-related diseases. Many workers inadvertently exposed their families to the hazardous material when they brought tiny fibers home on their hair or clothing, a transmission process known as secondary exposure. Common sources of secondary asbestos exposure include:

  • Personal contact – If asbestos fibers are anywhere on a power plant worker, a spouse, child, or anyone else in the home could accidentally ingest or inhale them from a kiss, hug, or another form of physical contact.
  • Furniture – Materials in beds, couches, and other furniture can retain the fibers from asbestos. A worker might sit on a chair, leaving behind fibers from their clothing that would then be picked up by the next person to sit there.
  • Vehicles – Carpets, fabrics, and other woven materials in motor vehicles can retain asbestos fibers. Workers often track fibers into their cars after working with asbestos products.
  • Laundry – Domestic exposure can result from washing clothes containing asbestos fibers. Removing asbestos dust in conventional washing machines isn’t possible. During the cycle, fibers from the worker’s clothes can spread to their family’s clothes, towels, and bedding. The person doing the laundry can unknowingly expose themselves by handling the clothes.

Diseases from Asbestos Exposure in Power Plants

Asbestosis, cancer of a lung, and mesothelioma are the most common diseases people develop from asbestos exposure.

Asbestosis is a chronic lung condition primarily caused by inhaling asbestos fibers in the air over long periods. It causes wheezing, shortness of breath, persistent coughing, and chest pain. Symptoms might not appear until 20 or 30 years after exposure.

Individuals exposed to asbestos for years are at a significantly increased risk of developing lung cancer, whether you smoked or not.

Mesothelioma is a particularly deadly form of cancer that starts in the protective tissue of many internal organs. Pleural mesothelioma forms in the tissue surrounding the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma starts in the abdominal tissue. Like asbestosis, mesothelioma might not show symptoms until decades after exposure.

Other diseases have been linked to exposure to asbestos, including:

Who Could Be Eligible to File a Lawsuit for Asbestos Exposure in Power Plants?

If you worked with or around asbestos-containing products at a power plant or lived with someone who did, you could be entitled to file asbestos claims, if you contracted a disease or otherwise suffered harm as a result.

Potential Compensation for Power Plant Workers Affected by Asbestos Exposure

Multiple potential sources of compensation are available depending on the specific circumstances of your case, including:

  • Trust fund claims – Many asbestos manufacturers were required to establish trust funds when they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The trust fund holds money to compensate people exposed to asbestos. You might be able to file trust fund claims if you have an asbestos-related illness and worked at a power plant, suffered secondary exposure from living with a power plant worker, or lost a loved one to a disease caused by asbestos exposure.
  • Personal injury lawsuit – In most cases, you can’t sue your employer for your job-related medical condition. However, you might have a case against a third party that negligently exposed you to asbestos. For example, you could seek compensation from manufacturers and distributors of an asbestos-containing product.
  • Workers’ compensation claim – If you or your loved one were exposed to asbestos at work, you could file a claim with the employer’s workers’ compensation insurer. Benefits include medical expenses, lost wages, death benefits and funeral expenses, and other expenses.