Anaconda Wire and Cable Company

Anaconda Wire and Cable Company employees exposed to asbestos

Not only was Anaconda Wire and Cable Company the largest industrial plant in Orange, but it was also the largest operation of the company on the West Coast. During the heyday of the business, the plant would have approximately 300 employees who worked 7 days a week in 3 shifts. One of the products for which the company was renowned is weatherproof wire, which was used by electric and power companies. During World War II, the plant underwent a series of changes so that it could be able to produce missile cable.

In 1954, the facility was expanded to include a rubber insulating mill, a plastics mill, and a rubber mixing department. The manufacturing of weatherproof wire ceased, and the energy was redirected to the production of wire insulated with plastic and rubber. In 1980, Anaconda Wire and Cable Company was sold to Atlantic-Richfield, and the name of the business was changed to Anaconda-Ericsson. Nevertheless, the plant was permanently closed 2 years later.

The wiring of electrical boards and panels would contain asbestos to reduce the risk of fire. However, it greatly endangered the health of electricians who had to maintain and repair these products. Asbestos has been a major part of the production of electrical panels since the earliest days of commercial electricity. It would shield building inhabitants against fire and electrocution. There is a device known as the electrical panel or distribution box through which electricity for a building is received and distributed. Because electrical current produces heat, it can arc and lead to a fire or electrocution injury if it is not grounded properly.

The following are the occupational groups that were exposed to asbestos by Anaconda Wire and Cable Company during the last century:

• electricians
• insulators
• factory workers
• plastic molders
• rubber factory workers
• radiomen

These are the asbestos electrical panel and wiring products that were extremely common between the 1920s and the 1980s and that Anaconda Wire and Cable Company manufactured as well:

• ebonized asbestos panels: asbestos lumber was a type of cement that would contain asbestos, and it was marketed as a fireproof alternative to wood boards, whereas ebonized asbestos lumber was treated with a special compound to give it resistance to moisture as well
• asbestos cement electrical shielding: sheets of asbestos cement would be placed between various electrical components as shielding and asbestos cement could also be molded into arc chutes that fully enclosed switch equipment
• molded asbestos cement bases: asbestos cement would often be shaped to fit certain electrical components, and this eliminated the need to install additional parts for shielding
• asbestos electrical paper: also known as flash guards, pieces of asbestos insulation paper would be used to line the inside of numerous electrical boxes, and they would be quite dangerous, as they were prone to wear and tear, which would release toxic fibers in the air
• asbestos wire insulation: the mineral was also used to insulate and fireproof wires individually, and fraying asbestos wiring could easily release harmful asbestos fibers
• asbestos cable wrap: thick electrical cables would occasionally be wrapped in asbestos paper or cloth, which could deteriorate and crumble over the years, and many electrical components were made of molded asbestos plastic

People who worked for Anaconda Wire and Cable Company were heavily exposed to asbestos, as they had to handle the mineral directly, without any protective gear against inhaling and ingesting toxic fibers. While the danger of exposure was very great for employees, the level of asbestos exposure for electricians was moderate. Nonetheless, since no amount of asbestos is safe, you can still develop a serious disease even if you had not been heavily exposed to this mineral.

Secondary asbestos exposure, a serious concern for the family members of Anaconda Wire and Cable Company workers

As a very common occurrence during the last century, secondary asbestos exposure would happen when a person inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers from indirect sources. Because asbestos companies were striving to cover up the terrible health effects of asbestos exposure, workers, including those employed at Anaconda Wire and Cable Company, were not instructed to wear protective gear on the job. Consequently, they would bring home toxic fibers on their clothes and their shoes, hair, and skin. When their wives would launder their work clothes, they would breathe in asbestos fibers, whereas their children would be exposed to the mineral by greeting their fathers upon returning home.

If you shared a home with a family member who was working at Anaconda Wire and Company before 1980 and have been diagnosed with a disease that is related to asbestos exposure, you should contact our legal team, as you may be entitled to compensation. We will make the legal process as easy as possible, as we know that people affected by toxic exposure are often in a lot of suffering. All you have to do is call us and explain your situation and subsequently provide our team with basic documents. If we establish that you qualify for filing a claim, our attorneys will prepare it for submission, and within several years, you will receive the money you deserve.

Legal assistance in wrongful death asbestos exposure cases for family members

Sadly, many victims of asbestos exposure refuse or fail to seek financial compensation during their lifetime, either because they pass away suddenly or because they fear a long and convoluted legal process. However, if you have recently lost a dear one to a disease caused by occupational asbestos exposure, you can now file a wrongful death claim to obtain compensation on their behalf. Filing a wrongful death claim entails a process similar to filing a regular asbestos exposure claim.

If you decided to file a wrongful death claim, you will first have to contact our law firm and give us as many details as you know about your situation. Subsequently, we will ask for copies of the employment and medical records of your departed family member, as well as for their death certificate, so we can assess the circumstances. If we establish that you are eligible to file a claim, we will promptly begin to work on it, and you will eventually get the largest sum of money available.