Louisiana offshore workers: Jones Act protection for PFAS and asbestos exposure on vessels

These ports are where workers check in and board vessels, but the actual work happens offshore on supply boats, crew vessels, and platform service boats, where they're exposed to PFAS and asbestos.

AFFF contains PFAS, synthetic substances that stick around in the body and accumulate in organs. Workers encounter it during system maintenance, testing foam equipment, running emergency drills, and fighting real fires where the foam covers them.

Beyond firefighting systems, PFAS contaminate hydraulic systems, operating cranes and winches, machinery lubricants throughout engine rooms, anti-corrosion paints on metal surfaces, and weatherproof fabrics in safety gear. Workers carry contamination from work areas into sleeping quarters when they store used equipment nearby.

Asbestos hazards on older offshore vessels

Vessels built before the 1980s often contain asbestos in thermal insulation around pipes, sealing materials in mechanical joints, packing inside valve assemblies, and spray-applied fire barriers. When workers repair engines, strip old insulation, replace seals, or cut through bulkheads, they release fibers into the air. These microscopic particles cause mesothelioma and lung cancer decades after workers breathe them in, often long after they've left maritime work.

Jones Act coverage and employer liability

Maritime workers qualify for Jones Act protection when they spend substantial time working aboard vessels on navigable waters. This includes crew on supply boats delivering materials to offshore platforms, workers on crew transfer vessels running between Louisiana ports and Gulf installations, maintenance crews on platform service boats, and tugboat operators navigating Louisiana's coastal waters.

When employers are aware of toxic hazards but fail to address them, they may be held liable under the Jones Act. Keeping outdated PFOS foam aboard vessels, supplying poor breathing equipment for firefighting operations, neglecting to clean contaminated protective clothing, allowing workers to handle asbestos without safety measures, and concealing information about cancer-causing substances.

When toxic exposure leads to illness

Cancer diagnoses within the past three years may support Jones Act claims when linked to workplace exposures. Research connects PFAS to testicular cancer, prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. Mesothelioma and lung cancer stem from asbestos contact, while throat cancers may result from combined chemical exposures aboard vessels. Workers injured in catastrophic offshore accidents also have potential claims.

Your employment records form the backbone of these cases. Documentation should show where you worked, which vessels you served on, what duties involved toxic materials, and whether employers provided warnings or protective equipment during your assignments.

ELG Law represents Louisiana offshore workers

Louisiana maritime workers who developed cancer or sustained injuries from AFFF exposure, asbestos contact, or other toxic hazards aboard vessels may qualify for Jones Act compensation. The Environmental Litigation Group has represented toxic exposure victims for over 35 years. Contact us today to discuss your potential claim.