The Indiana Michigan Power Company, now owned and operated by American Electric Power (AEP), is a large regional power provider and employer to hundreds of residents in the Lawrenceburg, Indiana and Bridgman, Michigan areas.
Employees at Indiana Michigan Power at the Tanners Creek and Donald Cook plants are likely to have worked in areas heavily insulated with asbestos, and may have been exposed to dangerous, cancer-causing fibers at the workplace.
Because of dangerous fire hazards at power plants, asbestos insulation has been utilized for decades at many industrial facilities. Asbestos was once thought to be one of the most effective insulating materials, and the toxic material was installed around walls, pipes, boilers, electrical components and heavy machinery.
Many former Indiana Michigan Power Company workers were at risk of asbestos exposure, potentially leading to serious cancers like mesothelioma.
Nearly any Indiana Michigan Power Workers could be at risk of developing serious health issues, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Joe Lyon is a highly rated personal injury lawyer representing plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of toxic tort and mesothelioma claims.
Toxic Asbestos in Power Plants
Former employees in power plants, especially those on the floor (welders, electricians, pipefitters and maintenance workers) were in regular contact with asbestos-insulated areas.
Indiana Michigan workers exposed to asbestos fibers, and who have inhaled the substance, may develop deep scarring in the tissue surrounding the lungs, leading to diseases like asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Former Indiana Michigan employees at Tanners Creek and Donald Cook plants have filed claims against the company for failing to provide a safe workplace and for failing to warn employees of the serious risks.
Aside from facilities being insulated with asbestos materials, power plant workers added to their exposure risks by wearing asbestos-containing protective garb, including asbestos aprons, gloves and masks. The following asbestos-containing products were once commonly used in Indiana and Michigan power plants:
• Fire-resistant clothing (gloves, aprons, masks)
• Insulation in boiler rooms (piping)
• Electric cable insulation
• Fire blankets/mesh blankets
• Welder’s blankets
High-risk positions at power plants may include:
• Insulators
• Welders
• Maintenance Crews
• Boiler operators
• Pipefitters
• Machinists
• Mechanics
• Electricians
Power Plant Asbestos Exposure
A relevant study published by the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology concluded that a vast number of employees in the power generation industry have an increased risk of exposure to asbestos, and may lead to asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
A separate study, published by the British Journal of Industrial Medicine, reported that even minimal asbestos exposure experienced by power plant workers “may induce malignant mesothelioma.”
Compensation for Mesothelioma Victims
Asbestos-related illnesses may take decades to develop, so former workers of Indiana Michigan Power plants should vigilant of changes in their health. Mesothelioma, which affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs, causes symptoms that can include:
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Painful coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Unusual lumps of tissue in the chest
• Weight loss
Indiana Michigan Asbestos Lawsuits
The Midwestern states, including Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, rank among the highest with people likely to develop deadly cancers such as mesothelioma, following asbestos exposure. The large number of power plants operating in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan is a serious health concern. Those impacted in Lawrenceburg and Bridgman may have cancer claims.
Mesothelioma attorneys claim management at many power plants around the country knew about the terrible risks of asbestos, and failed to warn workers about the dangers, or provide proper safety training.
American courts have found several power companies negligent for injury and illness, and more lawsuits are filed each year. Any person who may have been exposed to asbestos at an Indiana Michigan Power Company plant can seek compensation through legal action.
