JT Thorpe Inc., out of San Francisco, California, was once one of the top refractory contractor businesses in the U.S.
Refractory contractors constructed and repaired industrial equipment that operated in extremely high-temperature conditions such as steam boilers, furnaces and chemical refining machinery.
For much of the company history, asbestos was a primary ingredient in many of the insulation and refractory materials the company used.
Due to the extremely toxic nature of asbestos materials, insulation companies like JT Thorpe and others who worked regularly with asbestos and other carcinogenic materials are at an increased risk of developing mesothelioma and lung cancer years after exposure. Insulators, construction workers, plumbers and electricians are all likely to have been exposed to JT Thorpe asbestos insulation in the last 50 years.
There were hundreds of asbestos insulation products on the market up until the 1980s and insulators working in both residential and commercial capacities were exposed to dangerous cancer-causing fibers which could have been easily inhaled and ingested, becoming lodged in the lungs and causing scarring that is likely to lead to mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
Asbestos was used in residential and industrial JT Thorpe insulation because it was cheap, durable, and fire-resistant, but turns out to be an extremely toxic material that is closely associated with insulator mesothelioma cases.
Joe Lyon is an experienced Toxic Tort Attorney and Mesothelioma Trust Fund Lawyer representing injured plaintiffs in personal injury cases involving asbestos and related cancers.
JT Thorpe Insulation & Toxic Exposure
Asbestos exposure is linked to mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Asbestosis is a chronic respiratory disease. Inhaled asbestos fibers scar lung tissue and the lung disease may cause cardiac failure. There is no effective treatment for asbestosis.
Lung cancer causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. Insulators, construction crew, plumbers and shipfitters directly exposed to JT Thorpe asbestos products are at high risk of developing lung cancer.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, and almost all cases of mesothelioma are linked to asbestos exposure. Workers who handle asbestos materials in enclosed spaces, like plumbers, mechanics, electricians, ship builders, insulators, Maintenance Crews and construction site crews are most likely to develop mesothelioma.
Evidence suggests that other cancers are linked to asbestos exposure, including cancers of the esophagus, larynx, oral cavity, stomach, colon and kidneys.
JT Thorpe Insulation Products
Attics, ceilings, and walls in residential and commercial construction as well as ships and around piping, boilers, furnaces and electrical boxes had toxic insulation. Insulation covering on pipes, ducts and other plumbing and HVAC components often contain asbestos in homes, factories and ships. Cement, plaster, and electrical panel insulation may have contained asbestos. Loose-fill asbestos was poured onto attic floors and inside walls.
Asbestos Block Insulation is also a concern, as insulation blocks were sometimes made of pure asbestos. Spray-On Asbestos Insulation was also very toxic and put insulators who applied it at extreme health risk. Many asbestos products can be damaged easily, releasing toxic fibers into the air.
