Mechanics who maintained and repaired commercial and military planes before the 1980s were exposed to asbestos in parts and products installed in aircraft. Brake pads and heat shields were particularly dangerous, but asbestos exposure came from multiple sources, including the clothing and textiles meant to protect the workers from being burned by hot engine parts. Many of these skilled technicians were later diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases like malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer.
History of Asbestos Use in Planes
Before it was known to be carcinogenic, the aviation industry made extensive use of asbestos. It was considered an essential element of many aircraft parts and systems, including brake systems, gaskets, and valves, as well as materials like asbestos gloves and blankets used to protect aircraft mechanics.
The reason for this is plain: asbestos made those parts far more heat-resistant and fireproof. It also added sound-reducing qualities that were essential for both commercial and military applications.[1]
The use of asbestos by the aviation sector paralleled innovations in flight. It was added to composite materials and adhesives, insulating products, and cutting fluids. Brake systems contained more asbestos than any other aircraft components, with asbestos comprising between 16% and 23% of those systems.[1]
With the advent of World War II, asbestos use skyrocketed, particularly in the military. Unaware of its dangers, the U.S. War Department specifically ordered that asbestos be used in many applications to provide additional protection for its Navy and Air Force flyers.
Asbestos was used for insulation and fireproofing to protect the crew and equipment from extreme temperatures, and asbestos-containing products were incorporated in the lining of engine compartments, in the cockpit, and in the cargo holds. Fireproofing blankets shielded engine components from the risk of fire.[2]
How Were Aircraft Mechanics Exposed to Asbestos?
Aircraft mechanics are tasked with the maintenance and repair of commercial and military planes. This work involves direct manipulation of asbestos-containing parts.
Asbestos particles can be released from these parts after they’ve been exposed to heat, wear, and tear. A major source of asbestos exposure in aircraft mechanics was the brake housings in aircraft. The mechanics were exposed to large quantities of asbestos dust during brake repairs.
Additionally, mechanics frequently needed to cut, sand, or in some other way modify parts to make them fit, and this action made the asbestos in those parts friable. Friable asbestos is asbestos at its most dangerous, as it is when the fibers are most likely to become airborne and inhaled.
The most significant risk came from working with aircraft brakes, which contained 16% to 23% asbestos. Brake work involved handling asbestos brake pads, gaskets, and other parts, all without protective gear.
Engine work involved placing an asbestos blanket over engines to protect workers from heat, leading to a cloud of microscopic asbestos particles floating in the air where they could be inhaled or ingested.
Aircraft handlers, airmen, and supply chain workers were also exposed to these materials and put at risk of inhaling toxic fibers that eventually led to malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, and other diseases.[1]
The dangers of asbestos exposure were revealed to the public in the mid-1970s by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. After that, most aviation manufacturers discontinued their use of asbestos.
However, parts containing asbestos continued to exist for decades after, and may still pose a risk to aircraft mechanics today. Legacy asbestos hidden in older aircraft insulation, electrical wiring, brake linings, and other parts poses a significant risk to today’s aircraft mechanics.
The risk of asbestos exposure in aircraft is particularly high when workers have to drill, cut, or grind asbestos materials. This releases harmful fibers that cause exposure.
Other Aviation Industry Occupations at Risk of Asbestos Exposure
In addition to aircraft mechanics, many others were put at risk of asbestos exposure by their work or service responsibilities:
- Aerospace engineers and technicians
- Air Force veterans and service members
- Electrical engineers and technicians
- Electrical installers and repairers
- Electricians
- Electro-mechanical technicians
- Employees of aviation manufacturers
- Insulation installers
- Machinists
- Mechanical engineers
Secondary Asbestos Exposure
In addition to the risk posed by those who were exposed to asbestos on the job, the family members of these professionals were also put at risk of asbestos exposure from fibers carried into their homes on the hair, skin, and clothing of their loved ones.
This is known as secondary asbestos exposure. Many wives who laundered their husbands’ work clothes, and children who sat on their father’s laps when they returned home from work, inhaled the asbestos fibers on those clothes. Some were diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases decades later.
Manufacturers That Made Products That Aircraft Mechanics Used
There is a long list of manufacturers whose asbestos-containing aircraft parts and materials have been linked to people having been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases:
- AlliedSignal Inc.
- American Cyanamid Company
- B.F. Goodrich
- Boeing Company
- Cleveland Wheel & Brakes
- Durez Plastics
- Fairchild Republic Co.
- General Dynamics Corporation
- Goodyear Aerospace Corporation
- Grumman Aerospace Corporation
- Honeywell/Bendix
- Hysol Aerospace Corporation
- Johns Manville
- Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Metalclad Insulation Corporation
- NARCO/Honeywell Corporation
- National Gypsum Company
- Northrop Grumman
- Uniroyal Holding Inc.
Aircraft parts and supplies that may contain asbestos include:
- Adhesives and glues
- Asbestos gloves, fabrics, cloth, and blankets
- Brake linings, pads, and shoes
- Clutches
- Cockpits
- Control valves
- Electrical systems
- Engines, Engine mounts, Engine shrouds
- Fuselages
- Gaskets
- Grommets
- Heat blankets
- Heat shields
- Heating systems
- Hydraulic service lines
- Insulation for the engine and exhaust systems
- Landing gear
- Molded brake blocks
- Propellers
- Sealants
- Tail assemblies
- Wings
How Does Asbestos Harm Aircraft Mechanics?
Asbestos is a carcinogenic mineral. Its biggest and most significant impact has been on those exposed to it in the workplace.
Studies have found that people who’ve worked with asbestos are at risk of developing peritoneal mesothelioma. Mesothelioma occurs when asbestos particles become embedded in the cells of the mesothelium and mutate into tumors.
Asbestos fibers that aircraft mechanics breathe in during their maintenance and repair work can also cause scarring that causes asbestosis, lung cancer, and peritoneal mesothelioma from asbestos particles that are ingested.[3]
Safety Measures for Aircraft Mechanics
If you work on aircraft today that might contain legacy asbestos, it’s important to take safety precautions against asbestos exposure:
- Ensure you are properly trained to work with or around asbestos materials.
- Use appropriate protective gear, such as a respirator and protective clothing over your work clothing.
- Ensure air monitoring systems are in place to determine levels of asbestos fibers in the air.
- Use recommended and required safe work practices for handling asbestos materials.
- Undergo regular medical monitoring for signs of asbestos diseases.
Employers are responsible for ensuring workers who handle or work near asbestos materials have access to these safety measures.
Lawsuits Against Aviation Manufacturers Linked to Asbestos Exposure
Many people who have been diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses have taken legal action against the companies responsible for their exposure to asbestos in aircraft parts or supplies:
- A Florida court ordered Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation to pay $9 million to the family of a man who died of malignant mesothelioma after having been exposed to asbestos at company facilities in Bethpage, New York, and Hawthorne, California. In his role as an employee benefits adviser, Dennis Britt had visited commercial and industrial sites, including the Northrop Grumman facilities, to enroll workers.[4]
- Air Force veteran John R. McCabe, Sr. died of malignant epithelioid mesothelioma after years of working at the Kennedy Space Center repairing aircraft. Before his death, he filed suit against several manufacturers and companies that he blamed for his illness, including Honeywell International, Morton International, Northrup Grumman, and Vanderbilt Minerals. His daughter is continuing his suit.
- Gustave Sahm died of asbestos-related lung cancer at the age of 82 after years of exposure to asbestos in helicopter and plane engine parts. His family filed suit against Morton International and other companies, accusing them of strict product liability and negligent manufacture.
- Air Force veteran Paul Click III was exposed to asbestos-contaminated aircraft parts while stationed at an Air Force base in Maine. He recounted having worked around B-52G bombers and KC-135A refueling planes manufactured by Boeing and equipped with asbestos-contaminated brakes manufactured by Abex, Inc., and filed suit against that company and others.
- An aircraft mechanic and his wife filed suit against Lockheed Martin Corporation, 3M, and General Dynamics, accusing all three of being responsible for his illness and failure to warn him of the dangers posed by asbestos in their products.
Were You Exposed to Asbestos Through Work as an Aircraft Mechanic?
If you are an aircraft mechanic who worked on planes in the years before the 1980s, there is a very strong possibility that you were frequently exposed to asbestos in aircraft parts and supplies. You may have been exposed to legacy asbestos in planes for years after.
Because asbestos-related diseases have a very long latency period, even those who seem healthy are still at risk for being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in the future, as it can take fifty or sixty years for this aggressive form of cancer to begin to manifest symptoms.
To give yourself the best possible odds in the face of an as-yet-undiagnosed illness, alert your healthcare professional to your history of asbestos exposure. They will add that information to your medical records, so if symptoms appear, your physician will know to look for asbestos-related diseases, and you can be diagnosed and treated more quickly.
If you are an aircraft mechanic, the family member of an individual in the aviation industry, or were in some other way exposed to asbestos from airplanes, and you have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, seek guidance from an asbestos lawyer. They can provide you with answers to some of your most pressing and worrisome questions.
If you’ve been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit.
You may also be able to file a claim against one of the asbestos trust funds established by the companies forced into bankruptcy by their asbestos liabilities.
If you are a veteran who was exposed to military aircraft, you may have access to special disability compensation through the VA. You may also have access to treatment at any of the VA medical centers that offer specialized care for victims of asbestos-related diseases.
Reach out to a mesothelioma lawyer as soon as possible after your diagnosis. Though you may be uncertain about whether you want to pursue legal action, they will provide you with the information you need and make sure you’re aware of the deadline – known as a statute of limitations – for taking action. Speaking to a mesothelioma attorney won’t cost you anything and will help you make an informed decision.
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