Ironworkers are essential to the construction of buildings, skyscrapers, bridges and large ships. They construct the skeleton of a building or structure by climbing high into the sky, locking enormous columns of steel into place. Structural, reinforcing, ornamental and rigging ironworkers perform a wide variety of specialized work as their trade is highly skilled. Over the years, the attorneys at Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford have represented numerous Ironworkers who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Ironworkers were exposed to asbestos at new construction sites, powerhouse shut-downs, shipyards, industrial sites and remodeling projects. Prior to federal regulations placed on asbestos in the late 1970s, asbestos could be found as a component of high heat temperature materials, joint compound, pipe covering and other building materials located in numerous buildings and industrial sites throughout New York State. Quite often, ironworkers were exposed to asbestos by working in close proximity to asbestos pipe coverers and drywallers who mixed and sanded asbestos-containing joint compound and cement at construction sites. Remodeling projects also required ironworkers to tie into existing structural steel and metal decking often covered in asbestos-containing fireproofing. Disturbing the fireproofing created a tremendous amount of airborne dust.

Throughout the Buffalo and Rochester area, Mader Plastering sprayed structural steel with asbestos fireproofing, and Buffalo Acoustical installed asbestos-containing ceiling tiles. Ironworkers commonly worked at and were exposed to asbestos at the following New York jobsites: Alfred University, Ashland Oil, Bethlehem Steel, Brooklyn Naval Yard, Con Edison Powerhouses, Huntley Powerhouse in Tonawanda, Chevrolet Plant in Tonawanda, Donner Hanna Coke, DuPont Chemical, Federal Reserve Bank, Ford Motor Company, Hooker Chemical, Kodak, M&T Plaza, Main Place Mall and Tower, Mobil Oil Refinery, NYSEG Powerhouses, Niagara Mohawk Powerhouse in Dunkirk, Republic Steel, Rochester Gas & Electric, Spaulding Fibre, St. Joseph’s Hospital, University at Buffalo – North Campus and the Xerox Building.

Ironworkers also assisted in the maintenance process during large powerhouse shut-downs throughout New York State, including Niagara Mohawk and New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) facilities. During a shut-down, ironworkers maintained large boilers and turbines covered with asbestos-containing block insulation. The manufacturers of these boilers included Babcock and Wilcox, Combustion Engineering, Riley Stoker and Erie City. The manufacturers of the turbines were quite often General Electric and Westinghouse.

In the process of representing ironworkers and their families, our attorneys have gathered numerous medical and liability documents that could be instrumental in your legal representation. If you or a loved one were once employed as an ironworker and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, we urge you to contact us regarding your legal rights.

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