Foster Wheeler
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Acquired by Wood Group in 2017, Foster Wheeler was a long-running power, engineering, and construction contracting company that made boiler components, generators, and other heat and power-related machines with asbestos.[1][2] Foster Wheeler faced thousands of lawsuits over worker exposure in a range of industries, including the military.[3]
Company History
Foster Wheeler was not always the big international company it is today. It began in 1927 as a merger between two other companies: the Power Specialty Company, which was originally the Water Works Supply Company started by the Foster family in 1884, and the Wheeler Condenser & Engineering Company, founded in 1891.[4]
Foster Wheeler eventually merged with British companies in similar industries, creating the AMEC group. In 2014, AMEC and Foster Wheeler came together to create a company specializing in international engineering, project delivery, power equipment, power consulting, and asset support.[4]
From the 1920s, Foster Wheeler designed and built oil refineries and petrochemical plants. In this process, the company made boilers and supplied equipment for fuel and power generation industries.
Much of the company’s work involved high-heat work environments, which required the use of asbestos in many applications. In particular, Wheeler Condensing and Engineering used asbestos in boilers and steam generators.[2] It also supplied the military with many of these asbestos products.
Asbestos use led to lawsuits when workers and military personnel were diagnosed with conditions related to workplace exposure.
Despite thousands of expensive lawsuits, Foster Wheeler did not file for bankruptcy protection; instead, it continued to operate and expand.[5]
Asbestos Use
The asbestos industry often used asbestos in the past. At one time, the harmful effects of the mineral were not fully understood. Asbestos is a natural mineral well suited to industries that involve extreme heat. Asbestos is a natural insulator, resisting heat and maintaining durability in extreme temperatures.
Because Foster Wheeler made components and built facilities for the power industry, it prized asbestos for its heat-related qualities.
Some products used in the industry that often contained asbestos include:[6]
- Valves
- Gaskets
- Steam generators
- Boiler components
- Refractory block insulation
- Marine boilers
- Surface condensers
- Steam drums
Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos exposure is a serious health issue. Because asbestos is a fibrous material, tiny, needle-like fibers can easily come off, floating in the air and settling on surfaces. The fibers become part of the dust in a room or workspace and people in the area may unknowingly inhale or ingest them.
Once inside the body, these fibers lodge in tissues, most often in and around the lungs. Once lodged, the fibers damage cells and over time can cause illnesses like mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other types of cancer.[7]
In this way, Foster Wheeler possibly hurt thousands of people. Facility employees were at risk because they handled asbestos directly or were near areas asbestos was used.
These employees could easily inhale asbestos fibers. Their families may also have been affected by asbestos fibers carried home on work clothes and shoes.
Foster Wheeler’s asbestos use also endangered workers in other industries that used Foster Wheeler products. This includes boilermakers, pipefitters, power plant workers, mechanics, electricians, and others.
Men and women in the military were also exposed, particularly in the U.S. Navy. Foster Wheeler made marine boilers, and the US military was one of its top customers. Any workers on ships or in shipyards who built and repaired them were put at risk for asbestos exposure.
Asbestos Lawsuits
Because Foster Wheeler put so many people at risk, the company has faced many lawsuits over resulting illnesses. Foster Wheeler was a defendant in a case brought by a shipyard worker employed at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in the 1960s and 1970s. He worked in the boiler rooms of U.S. Navy ships and was exposed to asbestos through Foster Wheeler products.[8]
A court recently upheld a jury verdict for the wife of a man who worked in a Louisiana paper mill with Foster Wheeler boilers. Lynda Berry developed peritoneal mesothelioma and attributed it to the asbestos fibers her husband brought home on his clothing. The jury and court found Foster Wheeler liable for $2.25 million in damages.[9]
These are two examples of thousands of cases Foster Wheeler faced. Despite the high number of cases, Foster Wheeler did not face bankruptcy; therefore, it never established an asbestos trust fund to pay settlements.
If you believe your asbestos exposure and resulting illness came from Foster Wheeler products or workplaces, you can still seek compensation. People who were exposed continue to receive diagnoses for which the company is liable. You can trust an experienced asbestos lawyer to help you file a lawsuit, allowing you to receive the compensation you deserve.
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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.