Westinghouse used asbestos for many years to manufacture electrical and power generation equipment and home appliances. Asbestos use led to illnesses in some workers, including mesothelioma. Many workers who got sick from Westinghouse asbestos products sued the company for damages.
If you suffer from mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related cancer, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds set up for those who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on experienced mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more.
Did Westinghouse Use Asbestos?
Westinghouse made many products for the power generation industry. These products needed to withstand and insulate against high temperatures. Westinghouse used asbestos in many of its products until the 1980s. Asbestos was a common choice for insulation in the 1900s, and many companies used it.
Westinghouse Electric History
- The original Westinghouse Electric Company manufactured equipment for alternating-current electrical generating plants and was founded by George Westinghouse in 1886.
- The alternating electrical current faced a lot of opposition during that time. Still, Westinghouse Electric was successful and went on to branch out into many types of electrical production.
- Eventually, Westinghouse Electric became one of the largest product suppliers to the electrical power industry. The company manufactured and distributed electrical-related products, such as machinery and equipment used for controlling, transmitting, and distributing electricity.
- The company also took on many important projects, such as building elevators for the Rockefeller Center in New York and creating turbines for ships and Navy vessels.
- Westinghouse supplied the military during World War II. Its biggest contribution was providing the Navy with Westinghouse turbines.
- After the war, Westinghouse expanded into the nuclear power industry. It made reactors for power plants and for Navy submarines.
- During the 1990s, Westinghouse bought several radio stations and television stations, including CBS Inc. and Infinity Broadcasting Corporation. It then sold many of its industrial businesses to focus on radio and television broadcasting.
- In 1997, the company changed its name to CBS Corporation. In 2000, Viacom bought the CBS Corporation.
- The company began to struggle financially with these acquisitions and changes. It also faced thousands of costly lawsuits over asbestos exposure.
- British Nuclear Fuels Limited bought Westinghouse Electric, which then sold it to Toshiba in 2006. Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy in 2017 but was saved when Brookfield Business Partners purchased it.
- Today, Westinghouse supplies the nuclear power industry. Westinghouse does not use asbestos in any of its current products.
Westinghouse Asbestos Products
Westinghouse was in the business of power generation for many years. The power industry relies on equipment that insulates well and protects against overheating and fire. Asbestos was long the material of choice for insulation industrial applications.
Many of the products Westinghouse made contained asbestos insulation:
- Caulking paste
- Electronic panels
- Electrical wires
- Gaskets
- Micarta insulation
- Packing materials
- Power cables
- Power lines
- Turbines
- Welding rods
Occupations Affected by Westinghouse Electric
Although Westinghouse manufactured products with asbestos, such as rods, light bulbs, and pipes, the company’s turbines caused the most damage. Many workers who worked around turbines developed asbestos-related diseases, especially while working on ships during World War II.
Westinghouse Employees
Workers in Westinghouse manufacturing facilities faced high risks of asbestos exposure. They handled asbestos materials directly or worked around people who did. Handling asbestos is risky because fibers can come loose and enter the air, where workers can inhale them.
Workers in Other Industries
Westinghouse’s asbestos products were mostly used in power generation. Workers in power plants and other industries faced exposure risks when handling, removing, installing, or maintaining asbestos products.
Workers in different occupations who were likely affected by Westinghouse asbestos products include:
- Construction Workers
- Power plant workers
- Shipbuilders
- Shipyard workers
- Technicians
- Equipment mechanics
- Machine operators
- Electricians
- Pipefitters
- Insulators
- Welders
- Warehouse Workers
Westinghouse Asbestos Products and the U.S. Navy
Westinghouse supplied the U.S. Navy with turbines that contained asbestos. The turbines caused more asbestos exposure than many other of the company’s products. They put Navy service members at significant risk. Navy veterans today have very high rates of mesothelioma.
Westinghouse Asbestos Lawsuits
Westinghouse relied heavily on asbestos as an insulator until the 1980s. This led to thousands of lawsuits.
However, Westinghouse’s asbestos-related lawsuits were minor in the beginning compared to those of other asbestos companies, but they still led to losses.
In 1988, the company faced just under 3,000 asbestos-related lawsuits, whereas most businesses associated with asbestos use faced a much higher number.
- In 2014, a Pennsylvania state court jury found Westinghouse responsible for the death of Edward Merwitz, a former shipyard worker who died from mesothelioma complications. According to court documents, both Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC and General Electric Co. were found liable for exposing Merwitz to asbestos via their asbestos-containing products distributed to the shipyards where he worked. The companies paid $7.25 million to the estate of Merwitz.
- Gerald Sylvestre worked as an equipment operator at a coal-fired electrical plant in New Hampshire. He worked there during the 1960s and 1970s when equipment still contained asbestos. Sylvestre sued CBS, the owner of Westinghouse at the time of his lawsuit, after he developed mesothelioma. He and his wife were awarded $7.75 million.
Westinghouse and its parent companies never set up an asbestos trust fund to compensate claimants. Instead, they chose to settle or fight lawsuits in court. Westinghouse continues to face asbestos lawsuits today.
How to Seek Compensation from Westinghouse for Asbestos Exposure
Westinghouse products may have contributed to your asbestos illness. Contact a mesothelioma lawyer to investigate and find out how to seek compensation. You may be eligible to sue Westinghouse and other companies for damages.
An experienced lawyer can review your entire work history and find all the asbestos companies that could be held liable for your diagnosis. You might have several options for seeking compensation.
Additional Resources and Information
If you’ve been injured by mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related cancer, keep in mind that there is a good chance that you’ll qualify for considerable compensation. Remember to fill out our form for your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area.
