Utah Asbestos Exposure

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Utah is home to a number of oil refineries, all of which are located in the main population centers along the Wasatch Front that stretch from Salt Lake City to Provo.
Petroleum industry occupations are perhaps the most hazardous, not only from immediate injury, but from exposure to asbestos. Nonetheless, the safety records at Utah refineries are above the national average. Nonetheless, the risks of asbestos exposure remain; refineries are owned and operated by the following corporations:
  • American Oil
  • BP Amoco
  • Chevron
  • Flying J
  • Phillips
  • Standard
Other industries identified as asbestos jobsites include Intermountain Power and DuPont Chemical. Those who worked at such jobsites and may have been negligently exposed to asbestos should seek legal counsel with a mesothelioma lawyer.

Utah Cities where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

Provided below is a list of cities in the state of Utah where asbestos jobsites are known to have been located. If you worked at any of these companies and/or jobsites in Utah there is a possibility that you may have been exposed to harmful asbestos which is known to cause mesothelioma. Click on any link to view a complete list of jobsites in that city.

Asbestos and Rock Oil

In 2003, researchers in the U.K. studied 45,000 workers who had worked in the petroleum industry for at least a one-year period between 1946 and 1971. Subjects were either employed in delivery and distribution or in the actual refining process. Disease rates among the first group differed little from those of the general population; however, those in the latter category suffered from “significantly elevated” rates of mesothelioma and other forms of cancer.
Because the refining process involves the use of heat and chemicals, asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) have been used in oil refineries since the industry got its start in the mid-19th century. ACM insulation is placed around distillation columns, pipes and various conduits, and on working surfaces and other equipment.
Asbestos exposure suffered by oil refinery workers also results from protective clothing, which is often lined with asbestos. Anyone who may have been exposed to asbestos should seek medical attention at mesothelioma clinics in their area.

Electrical Energy and Chemicals

Asbestos is an excellent electrical insulator, which makes it ideal for electrical cloth and conduits as well as the components of various mechanical devices such as generators and turbines. Moving equipment is particularly dangerous in regard to asbestos as the insulation becomes friable with age and throws off millions of fibers into the building environment.
DuPont Chemical as also been identified as an asbestos jobsite. Asbestos offers excellent resistance to corrosive chemical reactions. In this setting, the type of asbestos employed is usually crocidolite or amosite, since these are both highly resistant to acid, and frequently used for countertops and other work surface materials.

Other Sources

A large number of older and historic buildings are located in Utah. Construction occupations, including the demolition and renovation of aging structures means danger of asbestos exposure. As is the case in most states, Utah regulations allows only licensed asbestos abatement professionals to remove asbestos from commercial buildings and rental spaces and provide criminal penalties for violators.

Statistics

Utah mortality rate from asbestos-disease is lower than many other states. Between 1980 and 2000, there were only 157 recorded deaths from asbestos disease out of a population of over two million. Most of these occurred in the Ogden-Provo metro region; the ratio of deaths from mesothelioma to non-malignant asbestos disease was two to one, which is typical of most areas of the country.

Other Utah Jobsites Where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

If someone you know has ever worked at one of the Jobsites listed below, they may have been exposed to high levels of asbestos. Asbestos exposure at any one of these Jobsites could put them at risk for developing one of the following asbestos related diseases: malignant mesothelioma (a terminal cancer), asbestos related lung cancer, asbestosis or pleural mesothelioma.

Bingham Junction

  • Bingham Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company
  • Bingham Copper and Gold Mining Company
  • Bingham Junction
  • U S Stores Company
  • United States Smelting Company

Delta

  • Intermountain Power Agency
  • Intermountain Power Plant

Garfield

  • American Smelting & Refining Company
  • Calera Mining Company
  • Garfield Smelting Company
  • Kennecott Copper Company
  • Shelby Smelting and Lead Company
  • Stauffer Chemical
  • Utah Copper Company

Geneva

  • Columbia Geneva Steel
  • Columbia Steel Company
  • Geneva Steel Company
  • Geneva Works
  • U. S. Steel Corporation
  • United States Steel Corporation

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