Having faced more than 400,000 asbestos claims, General Electric (GE) is still among the biggest targets of occupational asbestos exposure. GE widely used asbestos in insulation for turbines, power plant equipment, and even consumer electronics, which were installed and used across thousands of civilian and military sites nationwide.
In Ohio, where GE employs roughly 10,500 people, mostly in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas, many victims of asbestos-related illnesses are former plant workers or military veterans. While GE has long contributed to Ohio’s economy, the human cost has been steep.
The health toll, particularly from serious illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer, is so severe that medical and legal experts question whether GE production sites have been an economic benefit or a public health tragedy.
At The Lyon Firm, we believe that if you worked hard to build Ohio’s economy, you shouldn’t have to pay for it with your health. If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos, contact us today at (513) 381-2333 or fill out our online form to learn your legal options.
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History of GE Factory Asbestos Exposure In Ohio
General Electric’s origins date to the 1800s, when Thomas Edison’s innovations in electricity laid the foundation for the company. By 1980, GE was a $25 billion company with a diverse portfolio that included RCA, NBC, medical equipment, and reinsurance.
While GE’s innovations transformed industries, the company also relied heavily on asbestos for decades. Asbestos was prized for its ability to resist heat and electricity, making it an essential material in many of GE’s products.
From massive steam turbines that powered cities to small appliances in homes, asbestos was the “miracle mineral” that GE depended on. Between the 1960s and the mid-1990s, GE installed over 20,000 turbines across the U.S. that contained asbestos insulation.
In Ohio, GE’s presence has been especially significant. The GE Aviation facility in Evendale, Cincinnati, opened in 1946, became a major hub for jet engine production. While the plant brought jobs to the Cincinnati and Dayton areas, it also exposed workers to heavy amounts of asbestos. Asbestos was used in:
- Insulation for high-heat pipes and boilers.
- Gaskets and seals that kept engines and turbines running.
- Fireproofing materials sprayed on walls and ceilings in production areas.
Unfortunately, GE continued to use asbestos well into the late 1970s and 1980s, even as medical research increasingly warned about the dangers of inhaling asbestos fibers.
Over the years, GE has faced thousands of asbestos lawsuits, yet it never filed for bankruptcy. The company’s size and diverse product line have allowed it to withstand these legal challenges, unlike many other companies that used asbestos. However, for workers and military veterans exposed to GE asbestos in Ohio, the consequences have been life-shattering.
ABOUT THE LYON FIRM
Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.
The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.
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GE Asbestos Exposure
Former employees who worked at GE beginning in the 1960s once described a workplace where asbestos fibers floated thick in the air, open pots of lead and mercury lined the shop floor, and huge dip tanks of varnishes and solvents (used to coat and degrease motors) produced enough to poison the entire plant.
The following positions at GE were known to be at an additional risk of asbestos exposure:
- Power plant workers
- Consumer appliance assemblers
- Electricians
- Machinists
- Maintenance repair persons
- Insulators
- Demolition workers
Veterans at Risk of Asbestos Exposure
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), millions of Americans who served in the military were exposed to asbestos sometime in the past. Veterans account for almost a third of all mesothelioma cases in the United States.
Air Force and Naval veterans, particularly those who served into the 1970s, are at high risk of developing deadly cancers and mesothelioma because of direct asbestos exposure. U.S. Air Force veterans were often exposed to asbestos in aircraft components like GE turbines, putting them at risk for developing mesothelioma and asbestosis. Welders, electricians, and mechanics are among the occupations with the highest risk of deadly exposure.
Take-Home Asbestos Exposure: When GE’s Risks Followed Workers Home
Asbestos exposure did not always end when a GE worker left the job site. Many cases involve what is known as “take-home” or secondhand asbestos exposure. This occurred when workers unknowingly carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, hair, or skin after a shift at a GE facility.
Family members were then exposed during everyday moments, such as doing laundry, sharing a hug, or simply being in the same home. Over time, these invisible fibers could settle into the lungs, leading to serious illnesses decades later. In Ohio, there have been cases where spouses and children developed mesothelioma despite never working at or visiting a factory.
One notable Ohio case resulted in a $27.5 million verdict for a man who developed mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos his father brought home from work.
Asbestos Exposure and Long-Term Health Risks for GE Workers
Asbestos is a “silent killer.” When you breathe in the fibers, they get stuck in your lungs or the lining of your chest and abdomen. When asbestos-containing materials are cut, drilled, repaired, or begin to break down, tiny fibers are released into the air. Workers can breathe in these fibers or swallow them without knowing it.
Once inside the body, asbestos fibers do not dissolve or break down. They remain lodged in the lungs or the lining of the chest and abdomen for life. Over time, often 20, 30, or even 50 years, these fibers can trigger serious, sometimes fatal diseases. This long delay is why many former General Electric workers in Ohio are only now being diagnosed years after retiring.
The most common and dangerous conditions include:
- Mesothelioma: A rare and aggressive cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen. Mesothelioma and General Electric workers in Ohio are sadly linked because of the high volume of asbestos used in turbine manufacturing.
- Asbestosis: A chronic lung disease where the lungs become scarred, making it very hard to breathe.
- Lung Cancer: While often linked to smoking, asbestos exposure significantly increases the risk of lung cancer, especially for those who worked in industrial settings.
Asbestos exposure can also lead to several non-cancerous but serious conditions, including:
- Pleural plaques: Thickened areas on the lining of the lungs that signal asbestos exposure.
- Pleural thickening: Scarring that restricts lung expansion.
- Pleural effusions: Fluid buildup around the lungs that can cause breathing problems.
- Other cancers: Including cancers of the larynx, ovaries, and digestive tract.
Because these diseases take so long to show up, many retired GE workers are only now receiving these difficult diagnoses. It is vital to catch these signs early and speak with a legal team that knows how to trace these illnesses back to the workplace.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma and General Electric Workers In Ohio
Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms are similar to those of less serious illnesses. However, early warning signs typically include the following:
- Trouble swallowing
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent cough
- Lumps on chest or abdomen
- Excessive sweating
- Fever
- Fatigue
Former Ohio GE workers with known asbestos exposure should take warning signs seriously and request screening tests by a medical professional.
Working at a GE plant shouldn’t cost you or your loved ones their health. If you or someone in your family was exposed to asbestos on the job or at home, you don’t have fight this battle alone.
The Lyon Firm will investigate and work to hold GE accountable while helping you get the compensation you need for medical care, lost income, and peace of mind. Call (513) 381-2333 or fill out our online form to speak with our team today.
How We Investigate GE Asbestos Exposure
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused solely by asbestos exposure, and tracing where that exposure occurred can be complicated, especially for former GE workers. In this video, one of our attorneys explains how The Lyon Firm investigates GE facilities, equipment, and products to identify the sources of asbestos exposure.
GE Asbestos Products
Most claims against GE target their asbestos-laden GE Aviation turbines. However, those are not the only General Electric products considered dangerous. General Electric once sold asbestos-containing wires, cables, and cords under the brand name Deltabeston.
They also produced asbestos-containing ovens under the brand name Wil-Son Patent-Flex. As a manufacturer of consumer electronics and power-generating equipment, General Electric used asbestos in many personal appliances and plastic molding compounds used in electrical boxes.
Other General Electric asbestos-containing products included:
- Phenolic molding material
- Deltabeston cables
- Deltabeston wires
- Electrical arc chutes
- Furnaces
- Steam turbines
- Stovetops
- Wil-Son Patent-Flex infrared ovens
GE Factory Asbestos Exposure in Ohio Lawsuits
Lawsuits have been filed by employees of companies independent of GE, though originating from asbestos exposure while installing, maintaining, and insulating General Electric turbines.
Several plaintiffs are mechanics who worked regularly on GE engines, which required close contact with many asbestos-containing seals and gaskets. GE corporate representatives have admitted that certain engine seals and gaskets contained asbestos, and that the asbestos was known to break down over time.
A Pennsylvania state jury recently awarded a $7.25 million verdict to the estate of a man who died from mesothelioma after heavy asbestos exposure in products manufactured by a group of defendants, including General Electric.
In 2019, General Electric settled out of court with a plaintiff who claimed she developed mesothelioma through exposure to asbestos fibers her husband brought home from work.
Further claims against GE have been brought by government employees, steel workers, shipyard workers, as well as Naval and Air Force veterans who were exposed to GE turbines, engines, and other equipment. Most of the individuals filing claims were exposed between the years 1966 and 1986.
Why Are These Cases Important?
These cases matter because the impact of asbestos exposure does not stop with the worker. When a former General Electric employee is diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, entire families are affected. Retirement plans are suddenly interrupted, medical bills begin to pile up, and loved ones often step into caregiving roles they never expected.
Legal action can help ease that burden. GE asbestos claims may provide compensation for medical treatment, lost income, and long-term care, helping families focus on health and time together instead of financial stress.
On a larger scale, GE asbestos cases have helped push meaningful changes across the manufacturing and energy industries. When a major corporation is held accountable, it reinforces a simple but critical message: worker safety must always come first.
These cases remind companies that their responsibility to employees does not end when a job does, or when decades have passed.
The Lyon Firm: How We Stand Up for You
At The Lyon Firm, your case is personal. Behind every claim is a lifetime of work, a family, and a story that deserves to be heard.
We move quickly to preserve critical evidence before it disappears, and we go back to the job sites and records others overlook to uncover the truth. When it takes miles on the road or feet on the ground, we do the work.
With more than $250 million recovered in complex cases nationwide, we have the experience and resources to take on corporations like General Electric. We are licensed in Ohio and beyond, and we are committed to standing up for workers and families who were put at risk.
If you or a loved one worked at a GE facility and are now facing a serious diagnosis, you deserve answers, and a legal team willing to go the distance to get them. Reach out to The Lyon Firm today online or by calling (513) 381-2333 to learn how we can help.