Garland Haswell | Asbestos Exposure

Ohio Asbestos Lawyer

Representing Garland Haswell Workers in Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer Cases

Workers at the Garland Haswell Reutschler (GHR) Foundry in Dayton, Ohio were likely to have been exposed to asbestos-containing materials at the work site, and may develop asbestos-related illnesses such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Garland-Haswell-Reutschler (GHR) was a division of Dayton Malleable, a large Ohio foundry which produced malleable iron castings for the automobile industry. The GHR Company foundry and Dayton Malleable also produced aluminum castings for auto makers in their respective Ironton and Dayton, Ohio plants.

According to established medical studies, workers in the metals and steel industry are at an increased risk for developing asbestos-related diseases.

Asbestos was used in many applications throughout foundries, and workers regularly inhaled asbestos fibers, leading to serious diseases like asbestosis or mesothelioma. Garland-Haswell-Reutschler workers fall within the “high risk” category for industrial asbestos exposure.

Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Cincinnati, Ohio personal injury lawyer representing plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of toxic tort and mesothelioma claims.

Ohio Foundry Worker Lung Cancer

A recent study in Michigan revealed that many former foundry employees in maintenance and production positions developed asbestosis, most likely from past occupational exposure.

The study concluded that asbestos-related illnesses are “not uncommon” among foundry workers and asbestos exposure should be considered a carcinogen, contributing to an increased risk of lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.

For decades, asbestos was commonly used as insulation in foundries on piping, boilers, fan housings, machines, heaters and coolers, and company-issued protective clothing. Asbestos insulation breaks down over time and the dangerous fibers enter the air, endangering almost any person in an enclosed workplace.

Inhaling asbestos fibers can severely damage the tissue surrounding the lungs. Because of the amount of asbestos material in Ohio foundries, workers are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Foundry Asbestos Exposure

For many Dayton Malleable workers at Garland Haswell-Reutschler, operating machinery and heavy equipment could have exposed them to a large amount of toxic material. Several GHR employees worked in high-heat settings, and wore asbestos clothing on a daily basis. Some protective gear like gloves, aprons and facemasks contained asbestos material.

The buildings themselves at Ohio foundries also contained asbestos insulation up until the 1970’s. Dayton foundries were constructed with asbestos in refractory bricks, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, and wallboard. Asbestos was most heavily used around the following:

• Ovens
• Stoves
• Furnaces
• Tanks
• Boilers
• Cranes
• Piping
• Generators

Garland Haswell Cancer Risk

Statistics published by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that Ohio has one of the highest mesothelioma incidence in the country. Former steel mill and foundry workers are listed as a “high-risk work group,” and several thousand Ohio plant workers have been exposed to asbestos.

Almost anybody working at a foundry could be at risk, though the following common positions for Garland Haswell-Reutschler workers were at higher risk of exposure:

• Pipefitter & Plumber
• Machinist
• Boiler worker
• Welder
• Blacksmith
• Bricklayer
• Machine inspector
• Conductor
• ‍Maintenance Crews

Symptoms of Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer

Symptoms of mesothelioma can vary, and present many years after first asbestos exposure. Symptoms can include the following:

• Persistent cough
• Chest Pain
• Fever
• Lumps of tissue on chest and abdomen
• Trouble breathing
• Trouble swallowing
• Stomach pain
• Swelling of the abdomen
• Weight loss

Compensation for Garland Haswell Victims

Because of widespread occupational exposure to toxic substances like asbestos, many Ohio foundry workers are filing claims against former employers to help compensate for their debilitating, and fatal asbestos-related diseases.

Attorneys representing mesothelioma victims claim that many foundries around the country knew about the hazards of asbestos and failed to warn and protect employees. Ohio foundries, including Dayton Malleable and Garland Haswell Reutschler, failed to maintain a safe environment for their employees, and have a duty to compensate the victims.