Plumbers

Asbestos cement pipe, often called transite, was widely used for water mains, drains and sewer lines. Plumbers cut it to length with saws or snap cutters, which could release dust, especially when the cutting was done dry. Trench and basement work sometimes meant cutting in cramped spaces with poor airflow, so the dust stayed close. Beveling cut ends and cleaning up the pieces added more. If you installed or repaired this type of pipe, describe how you cut it and how often. Include both new installations and repairs, since breaking into old pipe could be just as dusty as new work.

Heating work took many plumbers into boiler rooms, where pipes and equipment were wrapped in insulation. Replacing a valve or connecting new piping often meant removing that insulation first, usually by hand. Boiler rooms were typically enclosed, so dust lingered long after the work was done. Gaskets and packing on heating equipment added more exposure. If you did heating work in schools, apartment buildings, hospitals or factories, list those sites separately from home jobs. Larger buildings often had bigger systems with more insulation than typical houses, and more of it was disturbed during repairs.

Plumbers often worked in homes, commercial buildings and industrial sites over the course of their careers. That variety can make exposure histories long and detailed. It also means records may come from several places, such as union files, contractor payrolls, licensing boards and Social Security earnings statements. Start with the jobs where you remember insulation, cement pipe or gasket work, then fill in the others. A clear, dated list helps connect specific products to specific periods of your working life, which makes the rest of the claim easier to prepare.

1. 1

   Note whether you cut cement pipe and whether the cutting was usually done dry or wet.

2. 2

   List boiler rooms and large heating systems you worked on, along with the building types.

3. 3

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

4. 4

   Write down any pipe, gasket or insulation brand names you remember from your jobs.