Skip to content
Mesothelioma.net
phone iconCall1-800-692-8608 chat icon Chat 24/7 Live Chat
Menu
  • Malignant Mesothelioma
    • About Mesothelioma
      • How to Survive Mesothelioma
      • 100 Questions & Answers about Mesothelioma (Free Book)
      • Symptoms
      • Diagnosis
      • Prognosis
      • Life Expectancy
    • Types
      • Pleural
      • Peritoneal
      • Epithelioid
      • Sarcomatoid
      • Biphasic
    • Stages
      • Stage 1
      • Stage 2
      • Stage 3
      • Stage 4
    • Additional Information
      • Causes
      • Asbestos and Its Dangers
      • Facts
      • Support
      • Financial Compensation
      • FREE Mesothelioma Packet
  • Treatment
    • Treatment Options
      • Surgery
      • Chemotherapy
      • Radiation Therapy
      • Multimodal Therapy
      • Medications
      • Palliative Treatment
    • Find Top Doctors
      • Doctors
      • Treatment Centers
      • Treatment & Doctors Near You
      • New Treatments
      • Care Providers
      • Clinical Trials
      • Costs
  • Asbestos Trusts
  • Compensation
  • Veteran Assistance
    • Mesothelioma and Veterans
      • VA Claims for Mesothelioma
      • Vietnam Veterans
    • Military Branches and Asbestos
      • Navy Veterans
      • Navy Ships
      • Marine Corps Veterans
      • Army Veterans
      • Air Force Veterans
      • U.S. Coast Guard
  • Surviving Mesothelioma
  • About Us / Contact
  • Home
  • ›
  • Asbestos
  • ›
  • Occupational Exposure
  • ›
  • Oil Refineries
Page Updated: June 22, 2022

Asbestos Exposure in Oil Refineries

Dave Foster Page Edited by Patient Advocate Dave Foster

FREE Mesothelioma Packet

Fact Checked

This page has been fact checked by an experienced mesothelioma Patient Advocate. Sources of information are listed at the bottom of the article.

FREE Mesothelioma Packet

We make every attempt to keep our information accurate and up-to-date.

Please Contact Us with any questions or comments.

Asbestos exposure in oil refineries is an ongoing problem for workers. Refineries are dangerous places to work, and asbestos helped protect against fires and explosions.[1] Refineries use asbestos much less often now, but facilities still contain some of it today, putting oil refinery workers at risk of developing serious illnesses like mesothelioma.

FREE Mesothelioma Packet

U.S. Refineries

More than 170,000 people work in petroleum refining in the U.S.[2] There are about 130 oil refineries in the U.S., with most industry employees located in the state of Texas.[3]

Refineries require trained, specialized workers. Jobs people do in these facilities include:

  • Welding
  • Ppipe-fitting
  • Electrical work
  • Boiler operation
  • engineering
  • Mechanical work
  • Operating processing units
  • Designing and testing equipment and products
  • Maintaining and repairing machinery

Asbestos in Refineries

Asbestos is not used as extensively in refineries as it once was; however, workers who have long been retired are now facing possibilities of becoming seriously ill. Even current workers are still at risk as asbestos is still used in oil refinery applications.

Asbestos is most commonly used in insulation. This is because asbestos is highly effective at insulating from heat and resisting fire.

Asbestos may be used as a safety measure wherever a risk of fire and excessive heat is present. Asbestos insulation was installed around pipes, lining tanks and boilers, furnaces, heat exchangers, pumps, reactors, and tanks.

Asbestos was also used in machinery components like gaskets. Sealants in gaskets and pipes also used asbestos to prevent leaks. Construction materials used in facilities, including flooring, roofing, ceiling, adhesives, tapes, and wall materials, also often contain asbestos.

Additionally, refinery workers used protective equipment made with asbestos. This equipment included gloves, shields, and clothing designed to protect workers while performing their jobs.

How Refinery Workers Are Exposed

Most of those facilities, built before any restrictions protected workers, are still in operation today. Although abatement has been performed in some locations, most refineries today still contain potentially harmful asbestos.

Asbestos is safe when contained; however, if any asbestos product is disturbed, fibers can become airborne. Once in the air, workers may inhale the fibers. Inhaled fibers may embed in tissues of the human body, causing cell damage.[4]

Maintenance and repair workers are at particular risk because they take components apart, often disturbing old asbestos. Anyone working with repair, installation, or maintenance of equipment containing asbestos may become exposed.

All refinery workers and residents in the surrounding areas may be at risk of asbestos exposure, especially during tragic explosions. Refineries have been known to explode, and beyond the immediate and obvious dangers, this kind of accident also spreads dangerous asbestos fibers.

Research

Several studies have investigated asbestos exposure and mesothelioma in oil refinery workers. Studies from various locations have confirmed workers have been exposed to asbestos and are at a greater risk for mesothelioma than the general population.

The first study to make the connection between asbestos and mesothelioma in refinery workers appeared in 1994. Researchers first examined men working in Italian refineries between 1914 and 1988.

The research compared white-collar workers to blue-collar workers, like maintenance workers and electricians. Researchers found the blue-collar workers were at greater risk for mesothelioma. They also concluded most of the cases of mesothelioma could be attributed to asbestos exposure on the job.[5]

A more recent study confirmed asbestos in refineries was causing mesothelioma. Examining refinery workers in Canada and Italy, this research found at least 96% of mesothelioma cases were due to asbestos exposure.[6] These results have since been backed by similar studies in other locations, including the United Kingdom.

Lawsuits

If you worked in oil refineries and are now facing a mesothelioma diagnosis, your cancer may have been caused by workplace asbestos exposure. Other workers have filed and won lawsuits against refineries and manufacturers of equipment and materials that contained asbestos.

One lawsuit was filed by a man diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2007. Amanollah Shahabi worked in refineries in the 1980s. Shahabi won a nearly $15 million settlement from the A.W. Chesterton Company, which manufactured gaskets, hydraulic devices, and other refinery equipment with asbestos.[7]

Another lawsuit has been filed against several petroleum companies, including ExxonMobil and Texaco. Ginger Hall, the wife of a refinery worker, developed mesothelioma from secondhand asbestos exposure. Hall’s husband brought fibers home on his clothes for years.

Once inside of their home, Ginger inhaled the tiny asbestos fibers and later developed cancer. She is filing a suit claiming that the companies that employed her husband failed to protect against asbestos.[8]

Both past and present, Refinery workers have been put at risk of asbestos exposure and the potential health consequences. If you have worked in a refinery, it is important to know your rights, understand how workers are supposed to be protected on the job. Be sure to contact OSHA if you believe you have not been provided with adequate asbestos protection.

Get Your FREE Mesothelioma Packet

Page Edited by Patient Advocate Dave Foster

Dave Foster

Dave has been a mesothelioma Patient Advocate for over 10 years. He consistently attends all major national and international mesothelioma meetings. In doing so, he is able to stay on top of the latest treatments, clinical trials, and research results. He also personally meets with mesothelioma patients and their families and connects them with the best medical specialists and legal representatives available.

Connect with Patient Advocate Dave Foster

References
  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2020, March 20). Industries at a Glance. Oil and Gas Extraction: NAICS 211.
    Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag211.htm#fatalities_injuries_and_illnesses
  2. US Data. (n.d.). Petroleum Refining.
    Retrieved from: https://datausa.io/profile/naics/petroleum-refining
  3. U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2019, June 21). Number and Capacity of Petroleum Refineries.
    Retrieved from: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pnp_cap1_dcu_nus_a.htm
  4. National Cancer Institute. (2017, June 17). Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk.
    Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos/asbestos-fact-sheet
  5. Gennaro, V., Ceppi, M., Boffetta, P., Fontana, V., and Perrotta, A. (1994, June). Pleural Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Among Italian Oil Refinery Workers. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. 20(3), 213-15.
    Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/40966252?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
  6. Gennaro, V., Finkelstein, M.M., Ceppi, M., Fontana, V., Mantanaro, F., Perrotta, A., Puntoni, R., and Silvano, S. (2000, March). Mesothelioma and Lung Tumors Attributable to Asbestos Among Petroleum Workers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 37(3), 275-82.
    Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10642417
  7. Los Angeles County Superior Courts. (2008, August 14). Shahabi v. A.W. Chesterton Co.
    Retrieved from: https://unicourt.com/case/ca-la22-amanollah-shahabi-vs-a-w-chesterton-co-90707
  8. Yates, D. (2012, June 29). Woman Claims Asbestos Exposure Through Husband’s Work Clothes.
    Retrieved from: https://setexasrecord.com/stories/510618877-woman-claims-asbestos-exposure-through-husband-s-work-clothes
View All References

Site Navigation

Home
Malignant Mesothelioma
How to Survive Mesothelioma
100 Questions & Answers about Mesothelioma (Free Book)
Surviving Mesothelioma - Beating the Odds (Free Book)
FREE Mesothelioma Packet
Symptoms
Shortness of Breath
Cough
Night Sweats and Fever
Weight Loss
Pain
Difficulty Swallowing
Fatigue and Muscle Weakness
Gastrointestinal Complications
Diagnosis
Pathology
Staging
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Metastasis and Progression
Brain Metastasis
Biopsy
miRview Test
Imaging
Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy in Mesothelioma
Biomarkers and Blood Tests
Calretinin
Prognosis
Remission
Recurrence
Death Rate
Life Expectancy
Search for a Mesothelioma Cure
Types
Pleural
Peritoneal
Epithelioid
Sarcomatoid
Biphasic
Pericardial
Testicular
Cell Types
Rare Subtypes of Mesothelioma
Deciduoid
Desmoplastic
Heterologous
Lymphohistiocytoid
Well-Differentiated Papillary
Tubulopapillary
Small Cell
Benign
Adenomatoid
Cystic
Unresectable
Localized
Idiopathic
Omental
Causes
Risk Factors
Latest Research
Genetic Components
Incidence
Latency Period
Mesothelioma Tumor
Health Insurance Coverage
Related Conditions
Immunodeficiency Disorders
Cholangiocarcinoma
Atelectasis
Pleural Plaques
Pleural Thickening
Pleural Effusion
Peritoneal Effusion (Ascites)
Mesothelial Hyperplasia and Proliferation
Pleuritis and Pleurisy
COPD
Anemia
Breast Cancer
Prevention
Complications
Misdiagnosis
Mesothelioma Commercial
Talcum Baby Powder
Lawyer
Lawsuits
Class Action Lawsuits
Settlements
Simian Virus 40
Differences From Other Cancers
Lung Cancer
Women
Children and Young Adults
Unknown Asbestos Exposure
Mesothelioma Without Asbestos
Cause of Death
Facts 
History
Awareness
Government and Research
National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank
Support
What to Expect
Living with Mesothelioma
Help a Loved One
Wrong and Right Things to Say
Caregivers
Financial Tips
Faith
Nutrition and Lifestyle
Intimacy
Mesothelioma and Fertility in Men
Fertility in Women with Mesothelioma
Emotional Health
COVID-19
Assisted Living
Hospice Care
Dying from Mesothelioma
Mourning
Coping Guide for Children
End-of-Life Decisions
Mesothelioma Awareness Day
Compensation for Victims
Lawyer
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington D.C.
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Lawsuit
Settlements
Statute of Limitations
Treatment
Surgery
Side Effects
Pneumonectomy
Extrapleural Pneumonectomy
Lobectomy
Pleurectomy/Decortication
Post Op Care
Pleurectomy/Decortication vs. Extrapleural Pneumonectomy
Peritonectomy/Cytoreductive Surgery
Thoracotomy
Thoracoscopy
Pericardiectomy
Wedge Resection
Pleurodesis
Pericardiocentesis
Prosthetics
Paracentesis
Thoracentesis
Chemotherapy
Side Effects
Heated Intraperitoneal
Radiation Therapy
Side Effects
Intensity-Modulated
Brachytherapy
Proton Therapy
Image-Guided
External Beam
Three-Dimensional
Multimodal Therapy
New Treatments
SMART Protocol
Gene Therapy
Suicide Gene Therapy
Tumor-Based p53 Therapy
Cryotherapy for Mesothelioma
Tumor Treating Fields
MicroRNA
Palliative Treatment
Osteopathic
Doctors
Treatment Centers
Treatment & Doctors Near You
Mesothelioma Experts
Medications
Alimta (pemetrexed)
Adriamycin (doxorubicin)
Avastin (bevacizumab)
Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide)
Gemzar (gemcitabine)
Keytruda (Pembrolizumab)
Mitomycin
Navelbine (vinorelbine)
Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab)
Paraplatin (carboplatin)
Platinol (cisplatin)
Rheumatrex (methotrexate)
Sutent (sunitinib)
Taxol (paclitaxel)
Medical Marijuana
Care Providers
Clinical Trials
Anetumab Ravtansine
Atezolizumab
Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell
Durvalumab
Immunotoxin
Interferon Alfa-2b
Onconase (Ranpirnase)
VISTA Protein
Costs
Immunotherapy
Nanotechnology
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Home Medical Equipment
HMGB1 Secretion
Photodynamic Therapy
Targeted Therapies
Apoptosis
Stem Cells
Lung Transplantation
Body-Based Therapies
Alternative Therapies
Paul Kraus’s Method
Doctors and Treatment in Canada
Asbestos Trusts
Veterans
VA Claims for Mesothelioma
Vietnam Veterans
Military Branches and Asbestos
Navy Veterans
Navy Ships
Aircraft Carriers
Battleships
Destroyers
Asbestos on Navy Cruisers
Submarines
Amphibious Ships
Minesweepers
Auxiliary Ships
Marine Corps Veterans
Army Veterans
Air Force Veterans
U.S. Coast Guard
Asbestos
Occupational Exposure
Construction Workers
Shipyard Workers
Ship Repair
Steel Mill Workers
Industrial Workers
Boiler Workers
Power Plant Workers
Firefighters
Automotive Workers
Roofers
Oil Refineries
Mining
Transportation Industry
Machine Operators
Farmers and Agricultural Workers
Migrant Workers
Electrical Wiring
Labor Unions
Prisons
Chimneys, Furnaces, and Wood Stoves
Fiberglass Connection to Mesothelioma
Home Remodeling
School Buildings, Teachers
For Tech Students
Cancer
Lung Cancer
Pleural Based Cancers
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits
Companies That Used Asbestos
Awareness and Education
Types of Asbestos & Mesothelioma Risk
Asbestosis
Interstitial Lung Disease
Smoking
Asbestos Ingestion
Exposure in a Natural Disaster
Ban Asbestos
Libby, Montana
Recycling Asbestos
Asbestos Detection
Legal Information by State
Canada
Mexico
United Kingdom
Australia
  • Malignant Mesothelioma
    • Treatment
    • Asbestos Trusts
  • Compensation
    • Veteran Assistance
    • Surviving Mesothelioma
  • FREE Mesothelioma Packet
    • Mesothelioma News
    • About Us / Contact
  • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Editorial Guidelines and Standards
This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
The information provided by Mesothelioma.net is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Mesothelioma.net

5430 LBJ Freeway Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75240

Serving mesothelioma victims nationwide

1-800-692-8608

  • facebook
  • twitter
© 2022 Mesothelioma.net