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The latest statistics show that between 1980 and 2000, over 8,000 men and over 1,000 women died from Mesothelioma. If someone in your family has been affected by this grave disease, you may be legally entitled to financial compensation to help cover your losses.
Furnace technicians are apart of the HVAC trade (Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning). These technicians focus on the installation, repair, and maintenance of furnaces which are used for providing heat to a building or structure. There are many different types of furnaces which means that a furnace technician must be familiar with all categories and have the knowledge to install and maintain these products. Different types of furnaces include central air furnaces, floor board system furnaces, and even portable furnaces. Furnaces are also installed in many industries and can serve multiple purposes. In a common household, the job of a furnace is to provide heat throughout the house. A metallurgical furnace is used in industrial settings and is used for numerous purposes other than area heating such as making steel and melting metals.
Asbestos was used in furnaces for many years for its heat resistance and insulation characteristics. Because of these characteristics, asbestos, the contaminant causing mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung disease, was used in numerous parts of furnace manufacturing. Many furnaces contained asbestos around the pipes, hot water portions, and any other part that would need to be properly insulated and heat resistant. Even the ducts that run from the furnace itself can be insulated with asbestos.
Furnace cement, which is installed around a furnace to prevent a fire, also contained asbestos in its manufacturing. Cement is well known for containing asbestos and has been since the 19th century. Furnace cement is not an exception to the rule. Fire bricks were also installed around boilers and furnaces to prevent fires. These fire bricks were very fire resistant due to the natural characteristics of the brick plus the integrated asbestos which is naturally fire resistant. There was double risk of asbestos exposure around the furnace alone because furnace cement was used to keep the asbestos fire bricks in place.
Litigation from furnace technicians exposed to asbestos has been prevalent throughout the country. Furnace technicians and repairmen have brought litigation against the companies they were employed by as well as the manufacturers and suppliers of the asbestos containing furnaces and boilers. One example of a furnace technician bringing litigation for being exposed to asbestos occurred in our own state of New Jersey. The family of a 48 year old New Jersey man received close to $6 million after being exposed to asbestos while working as a furnace repairman for the U.S. Navy. After a tough battle with mesothelioma, the man past away and left behind a wife and two children. As part of the verdict, the furnace repairman’s family was awarded $2.2 million for pain and suffering and another $500,000 for past wages.
Furnaces manufactured today are being done so without asbestos. However, furnace technicians and repairmen must still be aware of the hazards of asbestos. While new furnaces do not contain asbestos, older furnaces still in operation today can contain the contaminant. A major portion of a furnace technician’s work is maintaining and repairing furnaces. During the repair and maintenance process of an asbestos containing furnace, asbestos dust and fibers can be released in to the air. If a furnace technician is not properly protected, he or she can unknowingly inhale these fibers and be exposed. Asbestos fibers can also become trapped in a furnace technician’s clothing and transferred to other family and friends. It is imperative that a furnace technician take all proper precautions when potentially working with asbestos containing furnace products. If you or someone you know is a furnace technician and has been exposed to asbestos, seek immediate medical attention and then speak to an experienced asbestos lawyer to understand your legal rights.