Dresser Industries

Dresser Industries employees exposed to asbestos

The history of Dresser Industries is very rich, dating back to 1880 when Solomon Robert Dresser invented a "packer" using rubber for a perfect fit. After taking out a patent in May of 1880, he began advertising and selling his product, the Dresser Cap Packer, from Pennsylvania, in the heart of the oilfields. The Dresser Joint was another invention of the man he built in 1885 to join pipes together to not leak gas. It also used rubber for a tight fit, and it was extremely successful, allowing for the first time the long-range transmission of natural gas from gas fields to cities. By 1927, Dresser Industries had yearly sales of $3.7 million and roughly 400 employees.

These are the industries for which the company provided equipment and services during the last century and how the workers in each field were exposed to asbestos:

• Oil refinery: The employees in the oil refining industry were exposed to asbestos from multiple sources, such as from the insulation around equipment for boiling petroleum, as well as from the protective gear they had to wear to protect themselves against extreme temperatures and fire. Other asbestos products in oil refineries were gaskets and sealants. Millwrights, welders, electricians, pipefitters, boilermakers, and engineers were the occupational groups working in oil refineries that had the highest risk of asbestos exposure.
• Energy processing: The facilities where power plants were operating were built with asbestos products during the last century to protect the machinery that produced intense heat, such as boilers, pipes, and turbines. However, asbestos crumbled and became friable over the years, which placed employees at great risk of asbestos exposure. Furthermore, workers in charge of maintaining power plants would often wear insulated, protective clothing to do their jobs, as there was extreme heat involved. For decades in the country, pants, coats, aprons, gloves, and masks contained asbestos.
• Mining: Approximately 15% of the U.S. coal mines are contaminated with asbestos, as the mineral occurs naturally in the earth along with those of interest. Moreover, vermiculite and talc miners were at high risk of asbestos exposure too. Asbestos miners were in direct contact with raw asbestos, which was very dangerous, as they mined and transported the ore. They were also exposed to asbestos products in machinery and equipment such as brake linings, gaskets, and heat panels. Since they were not given protective gear to wear against inhaling asbestos fibers, they would breathe in toxic particles regularly.
• Engineering: This occupational group plays a crucial role in a wide range of industries, from shipbuilding to construction. Engineers work on diverse projects, and during the last century, they were exposed to asbestos insulation, cement, sheets, and ceiling tiles. Interestingly, engineers were present in every industry Dresser Industries was active in, namely oil and gas, construction, and power generation. For electrical engineers, the threat of asbestos exposure would lurk in the insulation in numerous electrical products, including panels and wires.

Consequently, the following employees were exposed to asbestos by Dresser Industries between the 1920s and the 1980s:

• oil refinery workers
• power plant workers
• engineers
• miners
• electricians
• insulators
• factory workers
• boiler workers
• gas turbine system technicians
• sheet metal workers
• laborers
• pipefitters and steamfitters

If you were employed at Dresser Industries during the last century and have recently found out that you have a disease related to occupational asbestos exposure, such as lung cancer or mesothelioma, we encourage you to contact our legal team immediately, as you may be eligible for compensation from the liable company. Filing a claim to receive compensation for health problems caused by asbestos exposure is much easier today, as a lot of former asbestos companies have trust funds, including Dresser Industries. It has $2.6 billion, money that goes to every former worker who is now suffering from terrible diseases because of occupational asbestos exposure. If you choose to file a claim, your compensation will come from the asbestos trust fund.

Secondary asbestos exposure, a serious concern for the family members of Dresser Industries workers

As a consequence of the unbelievable endeavors of asbestos companies to hide the dangers of asbestos exposure, it was only in 1971 that EPA recognized the mineral as a human carcinogen. Thus, for over four decades, both workers and consumers were exposed to asbestos, to whose terrible health consequences they were oblivious. Unfortunately, the families of people who handled asbestos on the job made no exception either, as lack of adequate industrial hygiene prompted employees to bring home asbestos fibers on their clothes. Oftentimes, they would return to their spouses and children covered in visible asbestos dust. Due to their microscopic size and rough texture, asbestos fibers can spread very easily through the environment and remain there for years. The family members of Dresser Industries workers are susceptible to developing the same awful diseases as asbestos employees themselves, from asbestosis to mesothelioma.

If you have someone in your family who was employed at Dresser Industries during the last century and now suffers from a disease associated with asbestos exposure, we encourage you to take legal action immediately. A lawyer who specializes in toxic exposure cases will help you recover the compensation you are entitled to from the asbestos trust fund of the company, a simple process that requires no litigation. The only documents you need to provide are your employment and medical records as proof of working for Dresser Industries and, respectively, diagnosis. Subsequently, your attorney and their legal team will take over and do all in their power to obtain maximum compensation for you. Whether you have decided to file a claim or would just like to ask a few questions, please give us a call and we will gladly assist you.

Legal assistance in wrongful death asbestos exposure cases for family members

Regrettably, many victims of asbestos exposure pass away without having benefited from the financial compensation they would have deserved. This happens because they die shortly after receiving the bad news or because they are afraid of a long and complex legal process. Nevertheless, contrary to popular belief, filing a wrongful death claim is not very complicated. If you lost a family member to a disease caused by workplace asbestos exposure who had not taken legal action before, you can now file a claim on their behalf.

To file a wrongful death claim for asbestos exposure, you will first have to call our legal team and then send our experts the employment and medical records of your deceased loved one and their death certificate. Our attorneys will review your case, and if they deem you eligible to file a claim, they will promptly start preparing it for submission. Eventually, you will get the most favorable outcome for your situation and get the largest sum of money possible on behalf of your departed family member.