Electricians

In earlier decades, some electrical products used asbestos for heat and fire resistance. Panel boards, arc chutes, certain wire coverings and fireproofing around electrical equipment could contain it. Drilling holes, cutting openings or sanding surfaces on those materials created dust close to the face. Electricians also crawled through ceilings and tunnels where insulation had broken down over the years. If you remember specific components, such as panels you cut, cabinets you modified or wire you stripped, note them. Even without brand names, a clear description of the tasks helps show how the exposure happened and how often.

On construction and plant jobs, electricians often ran conduit and cable while insulators, fitters and drywall crews worked in the same area. Dust from their work fell on everyone below, and it settled on the cable trays and ceilings electricians later had to reach into. This kind of bystander exposure is well recognized in asbestos claims. It means your job site history is just as important as your own tasks. Try to recall which trades worked near you, what they were doing and how dusty the air was. Coworkers from other trades may be able to confirm those conditions for you.

Electricians who worked in power plants, refineries, factories or shipyards were often surrounded by insulated equipment for entire shifts. Residential and light commercial electricians could also be exposed when working in older homes or buildings with asbestos materials in ceilings, walls and around heating systems. Both kinds of work can matter to a claim, and many electricians did both over a career. When you list your jobs, separate industrial sites from residential or commercial work and note the approximate age of the buildings. That helps focus the investigation on the products most likely to have been present.

1. 1

   List job sites where you worked alongside insulators, fitters or drywall crews, with approximate years.

2. 2

   Note any electrical panels, cabinets or components you drilled, cut or sanded during installations.

3. 3

   Request your union and Social Security earnings records to confirm employers and dates.

4. 4

   Ask a former coworker to describe the conditions at your largest or longest job sites.