Asbestos in North Carolina
North Carolina Asbestos
North Carolina is a state that has deposits of naturally occurring asbestos in both the southwestern and western regions. Power plants are the predominant sources of asbestos exposure as far as industry, although there are historic buildings that may have had or still have asbestos issues.
Jobs with Asbestos Exposure
Several types of materials that were used in the construction of power plants contained asbestos. Workers who worked directly with these asbestos products during the plant’s construction include pipe fitters, boilermakers and electricians. Asbestos exposure goes beyond those who participated in the construction of the power plants, the workers who maintain the plants on a day-to-day basis are at risk for exposure.
Steel mills also use asbestos due to the heat workers are around daily. The fireproof protective gear worn by workers may have contained asbestos as the fibers are flame and heat resistant.
Shipyards in North Carolina have a high risk of worker asbestos exposure. Thousands of vessels have been demolished and built in these very shipyards. Asbestos-containing products are commonly used in the construction of these ships from the 1930s until the 1980s. When asbestos is disturbed, the fibers are released into the air and made available for human exposure.
Power Plants:
- J & H Power Group
- Shearon Harris Plant
- Brunswick Nuclear
- McGuire Nuclear
Asbestos-Related Deaths
Over 1,000 deaths in North Carolina were from asbestos exposure over a 20-year span. Unlike some other states, asbestos-induced deaths in North Carolina had more mesothelioma (cancer of the lung linings) deaths than asbestosis (scarring of the lungs).
