While glass manufacturers were not heavily exposed to asbestos, exposure occurred to a significant extent in this industry, as workers had to assemble metal sheets, insulation and paneling with glass, which disturbed the asbestos fibers present in these construction products. Furthermore, they were exposed while working with machinery and equipment which were insulated with asbestos to prevent the risk of fire, since asbestos is resistant to fire and thereby a great insulator. Additionally, glass manufacturing workers would have to wear aprons and gloves made with asbestos to prevent employees from burning themselves while handling hot glass products. The ovens which they would use to manufacture glass would also contain asbestos to lower the risk of fire. Sealing products and plastic products which were present in glass manufacturing facilities would also contain asbestos. Lastly, glass manufacturers were also exposed to silica dust, another carcinogen, as they had to use it for the production of glass.
Relevant job titles
- optical engineer
- optical technician
- glass manufacturing worker
- product development director
- product manager
- quality control engineer
Asbestos-related cancer eligible for filing a claim
If you developed one of the following cancers as a result of occupational exposure, you are eligible for compensation. If you are too ill, a family member can help you with the legal process. In the unfortunate event that you pass away before recovering compensation, your surviving family members will receive compensation on your behalf.
If, however, you struggle with non-cancerous pleural diseases such as asbestosis, pulmonary fibrosis, pleural plaques, pleural effusion, diffuse pleural thickening, COPD (emphysema & chronic bronchitis), pleurisy, lung nodules, lung spots, asthma, pneumonitis, tuberculosis, rounded atelectasis or lung scarring, please seek a second or even a third opinion as the rate of misdiagnosis is very high among the victims of asbestos exposure.
Asbestos products handled by glass manufacturers
There were numerous asbestos products glass manufacturers came in contact with on the job, such as insulation, metal sheets and paneling. By disturbing these products, asbestos fibers would be released in the air and, in the absence of appropriate protective equipment, which was lacking during the last century, they inevitably inhaled and ingested asbestos fibers. Consequently, glass manufacturers who held down a job before 1980 are today at high risk of developing a disease as a result of occupational asbestos exposure. The following are only some of the asbestos products glass manufacturers may have been exposed to while performing their job.