Auto Mechanic Asbestos Exposure

Being an auto mechanic may seem to some to be quite a dangerous job and indeed it is.  After all, the mechanic is working with a machine that weighs several thousand pounds, has lots of moving parts, and generates plenty of heat and friction.  Auto mechanics must learn to work carefully, avoiding accidents while pleasing their customers with timely repairs.

Some of the things that might cause harm to a mechanic are certainly in plain sight, but for decades, a rather invisible danger lurked in the world of the mechanic and, in some instances, continues to do so. 

Use of Asbestos in the Auto Industry

For many years, automobile parts that needed insulation from heat and friction were manufactured from dangerous asbestos, due its excellent heat-resistant qualities.  Such parts included:

• brake linings
• clutch facings
• transmission components
• disc brake pads
• drum brake linings
• brake blocks
• gaskets

Routine car maintenance performed by mechanics causes dust, which in turn is inhaled by the mechanic and others who work in the auto shop.  Work performed on brakes and clutches made from asbestos often resulted in mechanics inhaling large amounts of airborne asbestos fibers.  Because clutches and brakes must be fitted before they are applied, mechanics would drill, file, or sand them so that they were the right fit for a particular car. 

Old brakes were ground down in order to renew the linings and cleaning was performed with a pressure washer that caused asbestos dust particles to circulate and spread through the shop.  When drums were repaired or replaced, the asbestos dust that accumulated inside was released into the air.

Many auto mechanics didn’t wear masks or respirators when performing their job because they considered them unnecessary or deemed them cumbersome, getting in their way while they did their jobs.  Such severe and prolonged exposure with no protection could result in the development of asbestos-related diseases, such as asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma.  Even those who didn’t work directly with such auto parts may have been exposed as well.  In addition, mechanics may have carried asbestos dust home with them on their clothing and bodies, exposing their families to the dangerous fibers.

Continued Dangers

Even though the U.S. issued strong warnings about the dangers of asbestos and restricted its uses in the mid-1970s, mechanics continue to be in danger when it comes to auto repairs.  Many mechanics work on old cars that still contain asbestos parts and some are unknowingly using new parts manufactured elsewhere that still contain the naturally-mined material. 

Companies that Manufactured Asbestos Automotive Products

Below is a partial list of some of the most well-known producers of automotive parts made of asbestos:

• Owens Corning
• Johns-Manville
• Raybestos
• Honeywell International Corporation
• Cooper Industries
• Federal-Mogul Corporation
• Delphi Corporation
• Dana Corporation
• RPM International

Asbestos Diseases

Because diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis often take several decades to surface, you may still be at risk for such diseases, even if you’ve been retired for years and/or no longer work in the industry.  Symptoms include difficulty breathing, persistent cough, and chest pain.

If you worked as an auto mechanic and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or suspect you may have the disease, it’s important to get all the facts.  Send for our free Mesothelioma Resource Kit which contains information about the disease, its treatment, and your legal rights as a victim of the disease.