Electricians

Executive Summary

Electricians face approximately 16 times higher risk of developing mesothelioma than the general population, with an estimated 1.5 million workers affected through exposure to asbestos-containing wire insulation, arc chutes, electrical panels, and building materials over decades of industrial use. Wire insulation contained 75-85% chrysotile asbestos wrapped around wires, while arc chutes contained approximately 36% asbestos in plastic molding compounds designed to protect circuit breakers from sparks. The peak exposure period from the 1930s through the 1980s represented 50 years of unprotected work with materials now known to cause invariably fatal cancers.

Electricians experienced a distinctive dual exposure pathway that distinguishes them from other construction trades. Direct product exposure came from handling purpose-made electrical products containing asbestos—wire insulation, panels, arc chutes, and electrical cloth. Bystander exposure occurred from working alongside insulators, pipefitters, and fireproofers who disturbed asbestos materials in shared work environments. This combination meant electricians faced continuous exposure throughout their careers regardless of whether they personally handled asbestos products.

Specific work settings created particularly elevated risks. Power plant electricians faced 8+ times higher mesothelioma mortality than the general population, while naval shipyard electricians worked on vessels containing extensive asbestos throughout electrical systems. Documented high-risk facilities include Pearl Harbor, Puget Sound, and Brooklyn Navy Yard, where electricians installed wiring through ship compartments thick with asbestos insulation.

The legal landscape for electricians has produced substantial compensation. Major electrical equipment manufacturers General Electric and Westinghouse—which faced over 400,000 asbestos claims combined—never established bankruptcy trusts, remaining active litigation targets that can be sued directly. Notable electrician verdicts include $14 million for a Nevada electrician using asbestos-containing electrical products and $6.3 million for Navy electrician David Lanpher exposed to wiring, engine parts, and insulation boards. Average settlements range from $1-1.4 million, with trust fund recoveries adding $300,000-$400,000 from multiple claims.

Key Facts
Electricians face 16x higher mesothelioma risk than general population Wire insulation contained 75-85% chrysotile asbestos Arc chutes contained approximately 36% asbestos content Power plant electricians: 8x higher mesothelioma mortality Peak exposure period: 1930s-1980s (50 years of unprotected work) General Electric faced 400,000+ asbestos claims without establishing trust Notable verdict: $14 million for Nevada electrician Italian Registry: Electricians ranked among top 7 affected construction occupations 1.5 million estimated workers affected over decades of exposure 64% of construction electrician cases classified with "certain" asbestos exposure

What Made Electricians Uniquely Vulnerable to Asbestos Exposure?

Electricians faced a distinctive dual exposure pathway that distinguished them from other trades: direct product exposure from handling purpose-made electrical products containing asbestos, and bystander exposure from working alongside insulators, pipefitters, and fireproofers who used asbestos heavily.

Electrical Products Containing Asbestos

Wire Insulation: Contained 75-85% chrysotile asbestos wrapped around wires and covered with cloth, directly handled daily by electricians throughout their careers.

Arc Chutes: Contained approximately 36% chrysotile asbestos in plastic molding compounds (pre-mid-1980s), protecting circuit breakers from sparks. These could crack from high-voltage sparks, releasing asbestos fibers.

Electrical Panels: Used asbestos-containing plastic, cement, and millboard mixed with tar. Drilling, sawing, and breaking during installation and repair created concentrated dust exposure.

Additional Asbestos-Containing Products:

Cable wrappings with molded asbestos plastic or paper
Electrical cloth and tape providing fabric insulation
Contact terminals and breaker boxes with asbestos linings
Transite boards (asbestos cement) shielding between components
Phenolic plastic and resin components containing up to 40% asbestos

"Electricians worked with multiple asbestos-containing products daily, often in confined spaces with poor ventilation," explains Paul Danziger, Founding Partner at Danziger & De Llano. "The combination of direct handling and bystander exposure created exceptionally high cumulative risk."

What Activities Created the Highest Exposure Risk for Electricians?

Direct Exposure Activities

Installing and replacing old wire insulation
Cutting, drilling, and sawing through asbestos-containing wiring
Servicing and repairing arc chutes (cracking released fibers from high-voltage sparks)
Installing electrical panels and breaker boxes
Drilling through walls, ceilings, and floors to access wiring
Removing old insulated wiring and breaker boxes (felted asbestos became brittle with age)
Grinding or polishing electrical components with power tools
Working with turbines, generators, and boilers

Bystander Exposure Activities

Electricians often installed conduits and wiring after other trades applied asbestos fireproofing, requiring scraping through fireproofing to attach conduits to beams. Even days after fireproofing application, vibrations from electrical work dislodged fibers.

Working alongside insulators applying asbestos materials
Installing conduits after fireproofing was sprayed
Working in areas where other trades disturbed asbestos
Drilling that caused vibrations, dislodging previously-applied asbestos

"The timing of electrical work on construction projects often placed electricians in the most contaminated environments," notes David Foster, Client Advocate at Danziger & De Llano.

Where Did Electricians Face the Greatest Exposure Risks?

Naval Shipyards (Highest Risk)

Naval shipyard electricians faced the highest concentration of exposure, working on ships with extensive asbestos insulation, gaskets, and electrical systems at:

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (Bremerton, Washington)
Brooklyn Navy Yard (New York Naval Shipyard)
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Lockheed Shipyard (Harbor Island, Washington)
Guam Naval Ship Repair Facility

Additional high-exposure facilities included Newport News Shipbuilding, Todd Shipyards, Bath Iron Works, Bethlehem Shipbuilding, and Ingalls Shipbuilding.

Ships contained asbestos throughout electrical systems, engine rooms, and insulation. World War II through the 1980s marked the peak exposure period.

Power Plants (Very High Risk)

A 2015 British Medical Journal study found power plant workers 8+ times more likely to die of mesothelioma than the general population. Electricians encountered asbestos from turbines, boilers, pipes, and generators at:

Coal-fired power plants
Nuclear power plants
Electrical generating stations
Distribution stations

A German study of 8,632 power plant workers found many electricians had 20+ years cumulative asbestos exposure.

Industrial and Commercial Settings

Manufacturing plants, steel mills, chemical plants, refineries
Office buildings, hospitals, schools constructed pre-1980
Residential buildings built before 1977-1980

High-Risk Confined Spaces

Boiler rooms with poor ventilation
Basements and crawl spaces
Behind walls and above ceilings
Attics with vermiculite insulation
Ship compartments and engine rooms

What Are the Disease Statistics for Electricians?

Confirmed Risk Elevation

A 2018 International Journal of Epidemiology study found electricians are approximately 16 times more likely to develop mesothelioma than the general population. This elevation applies even to electricians who began working after 1980, showing elevated asbestos fiber lung burdens from legacy exposures.

Italian National Mesothelioma Registry Data (1993-2018)

Among 2,310 mesothelioma cases with exposure exclusively in the construction sector:

Electricians ranked among top 7 affected occupations alongside bricklayers, plumbers, carpenters, laborers, building contractors, and insulators
64% of all construction cases classified with "certain" asbestos exposure
Over 50% of electrician cases had certain (not probable/possible) exposure classification

Additional Studies

2017 CDC study confirmed electricians have increased likelihood of mesothelioma mortality
Electricians rank among occupations with highest mesothelioma biomarker levels in blood
Belgian study (2015) found power plant workers 8+ times more likely to die of mesothelioma

"Electricians often don't realize their exposure came from multiple sources—the wire insulation they handled, the panels they installed, and the contaminated air in the spaces where they worked," explains Anna Jackson, Client Advocate at Danziger & De Llano.

The dual exposure pathway—direct product handling combined with bystander exposure—explains why electricians rank among the top seven affected construction occupations in the Italian National Mesothelioma Registry, alongside traditionally recognized high-risk trades like insulators and pipefitters. The 64% rate of "certain" (as opposed to probable or possible) asbestos exposure classification for construction electrician cases demonstrates the clear occupational^[3] link in these claims.

What Compensation Is Available for Electricians with Mesothelioma?

Settlement and Verdict Ranges

Average settlements: $1-1.4 million
Average trial verdicts: $2.4-11.4 million (Mealey's 2024: $20.7 million average)

Notable Electrician-Specific Cases

$14 million - Nevada electrician using asbestos-containing electrical products
$6.3 million - David Lanpher (Navy electrician 1954-1973, handling wiring, engine parts, insulation boards)
$5 million - Railroad electrician with asbestosis and toxic encephalopathy
$4.25 million - Douglas Everson (marine electrician, Lockheed shipyard 1970s)
$3.9 million - Charlotte NC firefighter/electrician
$3.6 million - Connecticut electrician
$3 million - Philip Hoeffer (retired Navy electrician with pleural mesothelioma)
$1.5 million - Howard Plumb (electrician's helper 1941, GE found 98% responsible)

Important Note on Major Manufacturers

Two major electrical equipment manufacturers do NOT have trust funds:

General Electric (GE): Has faced 400,000+ asbestos claims but never filed bankruptcy. All claims handled through court system using profits and insurance.

Westinghouse Electric: Filed bankruptcy 2017, acquired by Brookfield Business Partners 2018. No asbestos trust fund established—continues handling claims through litigation.

This means lawsuits against GE and Westinghouse remain viable for electricians exposed to their products.

Asbestos Trust Funds

Electrical equipment manufacturers with established trust funds:

Johns Manville Trust - First asbestos trust (1988)
Federal-Mogul Products Trust
Armstrong World Industries Trust
Pittsburgh Corning Corporation Trust
Owens Corning/Fibreboard Trust

Other manufacturers that made electrical products with trusts: Union Carbide (arc chutes), Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley (control panels).

Average trust fund totals: $300,000-$400,000 from multiple trust claims

"Because GE and Westinghouse never established trusts, electricians can pursue direct litigation against these corporate giants while also filing trust claims with their suppliers," notes Larry Gates, Client Advocate at Danziger & De Llano.

What Are the Documentation Challenges for Electrician Claims?

Work History Complexity

Multiple job sites throughout careers (construction sites, buildings, shipyards, plants)
Difficulty identifying specific manufacturer of wire insulation, panels, and components from decades ago
Short-term projects with construction electricians working weeks/months per site
Subcontractor relationships with electricians working for various electrical contractors
Military versus civilian work requiring documentation of both exposures

Bystander Exposure Documentation

Electricians must prove presence near insulators, pipefitters, or other trades using asbestos. This requires:

Coworker testimony showing concurrent work
Site records documenting asbestos use by other trades
Expert testimony on construction industry practices

Secondary Exposure (Family Members)

Family members must document:

Electrician brought asbestos fibers home on clothing
Laundry practices and living arrangements
Childhood proximity to contaminated work clothing

A recent Kentucky appeals court case affirmed employers' duty to protect families from secondary exposure.

"Military records provide a significant advantage for Navy electricians—clear documentation of service dates, duty stations, and ships served on," explains Michelle Whitman, Attorney at Danziger & De Llano.

How Do Electricians File Compensation Claims?

Required Documentation

Employment Records:

Employer records showing job duties involving electrical work
Union records (IBEW membership, dispatch records)
Military service records for veterans
Social Security earnings statements

Product Identification:

Evidence of specific products used (GE, Westinghouse, Square D brands)
Purchase orders, invoices, or specifications from job sites
Equipment manuals showing asbestos content

Medical Documentation:

Pathology reports confirming mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease
Radiology studies showing disease progression
Physician statements linking exposure to electrical work

Multi-Track Compensation Strategy

Lawsuits against solvent defendants - GE, Westinghouse, Square D, Rockwell Automation
Asbestos bankruptcy trusts - Johns-Manville, Pittsburgh Corning, Armstrong
VA benefits - Veterans receive automatic 100% disability for mesothelioma ($4,044.91+ monthly)
Workers' compensation - Longshore Act benefits for shipyard workers

"We pursue all available compensation sources simultaneously—trust fund claims can begin paying while litigation against manufacturers proceeds," emphasizes Rod De Llano, Founding Partner at Danziger & De Llano.

What Secondary Exposure Risks Affected Electricians' Families?

The asbestos catastrophe extended beyond electricians themselves to affect their families through take-home contamination. Asbestos fibers embedded in work clothing, shoes, hair, and skin created continuous household exposure when workers returned home without changing clothes or showering.

Documented Family Impact

Studies of industrial workers' families demonstrate the scope of secondary exposure:

11% of workers' wives showed radiologic evidence of asbestos-related lung changes
7.6% of sons developed signs of asbestos-related disease
2.1% of daughters showed evidence of asbestos exposure
Family members faced a 5.02 relative risk for developing mesothelioma

The landmark Julie Gundlach case established manufacturer liability for secondary exposure to electricians' family members. Gundlach developed mesothelioma from exposure to her father's asbestos-covered work clothes, which were left in the laundry room where she played as a child. The case demonstrated that manufacturers who knew of asbestos dangers had a duty to warn not just workers but their families about the risks of take-home contamination.

A recent Kentucky appeals court affirmed employers' duty to protect families from secondary exposure, strengthening the legal foundation for family member claims.

"We've represented numerous family members who developed mesothelioma from secondary exposure to an electrician's contaminated clothing," explains Yvette Abrego, Client Advocate at Danziger & De Llano. "These cases require documentation of the household exposure pathway, but they remain fully compensable."

What Landmark Cases Established Electrician Legal Precedents?

Howard Plumb v. General Electric (2000, New York)

Established GE's high degree of liability (98%) for electrician's helper's mesothelioma. The $1,470,000 award demonstrated manufacturer liability for failing to warn about asbestos in electrical products.

Philip Hoeffer v. Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley (2003, California)

Major verdict against electrical equipment manufacturer for Navy electrician. Nearly $3 million from jury plus additional settlements. Established successor liability (Rockwell as Allen-Bradley successor) for historical asbestos products.

David Lanpher Family v. Multiple Defendants (2011)

$6.3 million for Navy electrician who worked 1954-1973 at Bethlehem Steel Mill and Lockheed Shipbuilding handling wiring, engine parts, and insulation boards. Established manufacturers never warned workers despite knowing dangers.

Julie Gundlach v. Multiple Defendants (2010)

Landmark secondary/take-home exposure case. Mesothelioma developed from father's asbestos-covered work clothes left in laundry room where she played as child (father was electrician). Established manufacturer liability for secondary exposure to electricians' family members.

References

Page Author: Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano, LLP

↑ Mesothelioma, National Cancer Institute
↑ Asbestos, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
↑ Asbestos, CDC/NIOSH

[1] Mesothelioma, National Cancer Institute

[2] Asbestos, Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[3] Asbestos, CDC/NIOSH

[3]