For decades, B.F. Goodrich operated in Akron, Ohio, once known as the “Rubber Capital of the World,” before expanding its operations to other Ohio and Kentucky work sites. But despite of the great economic success of the rubber industry, thousands of former BF Goodrich employees in chemical and tire plants were exposed to toxic materials at the workplace, including asbestos. The following work sites may be at high cancer risk:
- Akron, Ohio
- Calvert City, KY
- Louisville, KY
- Paducah, KY
In almost any B.F. Goodrich rubber and chemical facility in the last 50 years, asbestos fibers may have been released into the air and easily inhaled or ingested, and lodged in the lungs of employees. Exposure to asbestos fibers may lead to the development of cancers, asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Asbestos was a common industrial insulator for decades because it is strong and resistant to heat, flame, and corrosion, and is now proven to be a dangerous carcinogen, causing various illnesses and cancers, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Employees who worked at B.F. Goodrich chemical plants or throughout the rubber manufacturing industry may have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma cancer.
Many former employees worked for up to 40 years at a dangerous workplace without ever knowing they were at certain risk. Tire plant workers, employees of chemical production companies, auto mechanics, shipyards and military installations were all put at risk by B.F. Goodrich and its products.
Unfortunately, even with the knowledge that workers were facing serious health hazards, corporations like BF Goodrich carried on manufacturing dangerous products, and failed to warn employees of the risks.
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Ohio asbestos lawyer capable of representing B.F. Goodrich workers nationwide in a wide variety of asbestos exposure claims.
Asbestos Exposure at BF Goodrich
The B.F. Goodrich Tire & Rubber Company is best known for producing automobile tires but it also manufactured a number of other products which contained asbestos, including adhesives, sealants, and aircraft components. B.F. Goodrich also provided the marine industry with various asbestos products, sold under the brand names of Superheat and Vulcalock.
Around the country, conveying systems built by B.F. Goodrich, including transportation belts and belt drives, contained asbestos. Over time, the belts frayed and asbestos entered the air. Even the conveying machines contained asbestos insulation around friction-generating components. Regardless of their position, many factory workers faced an occupational exposure.
Production plants were often filled with so much asbestos that workers could have been exposed in the cafeteria just as much as on the factory floor. All employees were at risk of asbestos exposure, including routine office workers who never directly handled any asbestos materials and only occasionally walked through manufacturing areas. Minimal asbestos exposure still carries risk of asbestos-related illnesses.
Incredibly, if a worker spent only two weeks in areas with the highest concentration of asbestos, that would be enough to be considered high-risk. However, when you consider the fact that some workers spent decades in these same positions at BF Goodrich, the risk is compounded.
B.F Goodrich Asbestos Exposure Locations
Symptoms of Asbestos-Related Illness
Asbestos-related cancers have a long latency period, and workers may not be diagnosed until many years after exposure. When they do present, symptoms of lung diseases like asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma may include:
• Chest Pain
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Trouble swallowing
• Swelling of the abdomen
