Asbestos Exposure in Foundries and Sheet Metal Workers
Asbestos was widely used in foundries during the mid-20th century due to the high heat processes required to melt, transport, and shape metals. Asbestos played critical roles in preventing fires and protecting workers from extreme heat, but at the cost of deadly health effects for workers. If you or your loved one is a former foundry worker with asbestos-related illness, contact our experienced foundry asbestos exposure lawyers today to learn about your mesothelioma compensation options.
Vanessa Firnhaber Oslund, Partner, Bergman Oslund Udo Little Last Updated: April 23, 2025
- Asbestos is a durable, heat-resistant substance foundries relied on for heat and fire protection.
- Workers were exposed to heavy amounts of asbestos at foundries in machinery, ladles, and even their protective clothing.
- Foundry workers exposed to asbestos may develop mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or other asbestos-related diseases.
- If you or your loved one has been exposed to asbestos in foundries, you may be eligible for substantial compensation through an asbestos exposure lawsuit, trust fund claim, VA claim, or combination thereof.
- Our foundry asbestos exposure lawyers have over 30 years of experience holding asbestos product manufacturers accountable for prioritizing profits over people and have recovered over $1 billion in compensation.
Foundry Workers and Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos was highly valued in industrial settings like foundries through most of the 1900s due to the extremely high heat processes they used. It was long considered a miracle mineral because of its amazing properties. It was lightweight, fire-resistant, and abundant. It could insulate against extreme heat, cold, high-pressure liquids, and sound. It was cheap and virtually indestructible.
The temperature extremes used to melt, transport, and cast metals require strong, reliable insulation. No material was more popular than asbestos for these uses, so foundry workers were surrounded by asbestos-containing products.
How Were Foundry Workers Exposed to Asbestos?
Foundries used asbestos in the following products:
- Furnace linings
- Protective gloves and aprons
- Riser sleeves
- Metal curtains
- Cupola insulation
- Sand mold insulation
- Ladles
- Boiler coverings
- Pipe laggings
Asbestos was one of the few substances capable of withstanding the high temperatures common in foundries. Asbestos fibers would become airborne, and workers inhaled them. They were so small that workers could not see them, and they produced no immediate symptoms to alert workers that they had inhaled anything. They inhaled millions of asbestos fibers over decades.
The companies that mined asbestos and manufactured asbestos-containing products have known since the 1920s that the material causes significant harm. However, they continued using it to keep their costs down and maximize their profits. They failed to warn workers or provide protection to prevent disease.
Foundries With a History of Asbestos Exposure in the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is home to several foundries, iron factories, and steel mills that used asbestos as insulation and fire protection while molding and casting metals.
Foundries in Washington
- Alcoa Aluminum Smelter
- Kaiser Aluminum
- INTALCO Aluminum
- Reynolds Metals Aluminum Plant
- Columbia Aluminum
- Intalco Aluminum
Foundries in Oregon
- Oregon Steel Mills
- Willamette Iron and Steel Yard
- Northwest Marine Ironworks
What are the Health Risks Associated with Asbestos Exposure?
The same indestructible qualities that make asbestos desirable for fireproofing and insulation in foundries make it deadly for humans. The body cannot break down the fibers or expel them. Instead, they remain in the tissues, quietly causing damage and inflammation over time, resulting in disease.
The first symptoms often do not appear until after a worker is in an advanced stage of an incurable disease, such as the following:
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
- Asbestosis
The level of airborne asbestos in foundries was high, and the invisible fibers settled on workers’ hair, clothing, skin, and shoes. Even the garments designed to protect workers, like gloves and aprons, were laden with asbestos. These workers often carried asbestos home and unknowingly exposed their families to the same risks of deadly diseases through secondary asbestos exposure.
Compensation Options for Foundry Workers Harmed by Asbestos Exposure
You may be entitled to substantial compensation through multiple avenues if you are diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness after being exposed to asbestos in metal works jobs. The types and amounts of compensation available will vary based on the circumstances of your case, such as your employment history, the nature and severity of your illness, your age at diagnosis, and the impacts on your life.
Foundry Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit
You may be entitled to sue the companies that manufactured and sold asbestos to your employer. The compensation available in an asbestos exposure lawsuit may cover the following economic and non-economic damages:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of society
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
If your loved one died of mesothelioma, you may be entitled to damages through a wrongful death lawsuit, such as loss of companionship, funeral expenses, and loss of parental guidance.
Asbestos Trust Fund Claims
The asbestos trust funds currently have an estimated $30 billion available for people with asbestos-related illnesses and the families of those who have died. The asbestos trust funds pay economic and non-economic damages. To qualify, the company responsible for you or your loved one’s asbestos exposure must have gone bankrupt and established an asbestos trust fund. Our knowledgeable asbestos exposure lawyers can determine who is responsible for your exposure and whether you qualify for one or more asbestos trust fund claims.
VA Claims
If you were exposed to asbestos as a foundry worker in the military, you cannot sue the military, but you can sue the companies that supplied asbestos to the military. You may also be eligible to receive VA benefits. To qualify, you must prove you worked in a job with asbestos exposure during your service and have developed an asbestos-related illness.
You may be eligible for free VA medical care for your asbestos-related illness and monthly compensation. The two primary forms of VA compensation are VA Disability and VA pensions. You may be eligible for both. If your loved one died from an asbestos-related disease as a result of military asbestos exposure, you may be eligible for VA survivor benefits. We can help you file your VA claim or appeal if the VA has already denied your claim.
Our Foundry Worker Asbestos Exposure Attorneys are Here to Help.
We are the Pacific Northwest’s premier mesothelioma law firm with a proven track record of the highest settlements and verdicts in Washington and Oregon. We have been fighting for clients since 1995 and have recovered over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements. We understand the toll a difficult medical diagnosis takes on a family and will guide you through the legal process with patience and compassion.
We serve all of Washington and Oregon. Regardless of where you are in Washington or Oregon, we will come to you and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Speak with an attorney today—complete our online contact form or call us directly. In Washington, call our Seattle office at (206) 957-9510. You can reach our Oregon attorneys by calling our Portland office at (503) 447-6230.
520 Pike St. #1125
Seattle, WA 98101
206-957-9510
1355 NW Everett St.
Suite 100
Portland, OR 97204
503-447-6230
