Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in Los Angeles

Oil was discovered in Los Angeles in the late 1800s, and refineries in El Segundo, Torrance and the harbor area grew into major complexes. Their heaters, towers and steam lines were insulated with asbestos, and maintenance crews repeatedly handled that material. The harbor at San Pedro also had shipyards that built and repaired ships, especially during World War II. Refinery turnarounds brought large crews of contract workers who removed and replaced insulation on a tight schedule. Harbor shipyards, meanwhile, overhauled vessels in cramped engine rooms where dust built up quickly. Many workers moved between refinery, shipyard and power plant jobs over the years, adding to their exposure histories.

The region became a center for aircraft production, with plants in Santa Monica, Burbank and elsewhere, where older buildings and some heat-related materials contained asbestos. Coal and gas power plants along the coast used asbestos insulation on boilers and turbines. Rapid postwar construction brought asbestos fireproofing, pipe insulation, flooring and joint compound into homes, schools and offices across the county. Union halls in Los Angeles County dispatched insulators, pipefitters and electricians to job sites throughout the region, from aircraft plants to high-rise construction. Custodians and building engineers in older schools and offices could also encounter asbestos during repairs. Home remodelers working on older houses could disturb asbestos flooring and ceiling materials too.