Louisiana Maintenance Workers and Mesothelioma
For decades, asbestos was widely used in countless applications, materials, and products. From the 1930s to 1980s, it could be found in nearly every home, commercial building, shipyard and light and heavy industrial facilities in Louisiana. Maintenance workers often faced exposure to asbestos while performing their daily tasks on job sites such as the above. As a result, these workers are at a heightened risk of developing mesothelioma, an aggressive type of cancer with one confirmed cause—asbestos exposure.
Last Updated:
- September 29, 2025
Key Facts About Maintenance Workers
Asbestos Exposure Risk:
High
Causes of Exposure:
Working with asbestos products or around other trades using such materials
Asbestos Products:
Pipe Insulation, Block Insulation, Insulating Cements, Firebrick, Refractory Products and more
Job Sites:
Oil refineries, chemical plants, shipyards, power plants, paper mills, and more
Local Branches:
Local #16 (Metairie) Local #270 (New Orleans) Local #99 (Baton Rouge) Local #406 (Metairie) Local #60 (Metairie) and more
Compensation Available:
Yes, if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, colon cancer, or asbestosis.
How Were Maintenance Workers Exposed to Asbestos in Louisiana?
Maintenance workers’ heaviest workplace exposure to asbestos occurred from the 1930s through the 1980s during repair and routine maintenance at industrial job sites. These workers serviced equipment like boilers, piping systems, and machinery with asbestos-containing materials, such as high-temperature insulation and gaskets. When workers performed tasks like drilling, sanding, cutting, or tearing apart these materials, they disturbed the asbestos and released tiny asbestos fibers into the air, where they could be inhaled or ingested.
When inhaled or ingested, microscopic asbestos particles can become lodged in bodily tissue, particularly the lining of organs such as the lungs and abdomen. The human body is incapable of breaking down the material. Harmful inflammation can develop and lead to serious diseases, like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
A Chemical Plant Worker's Story
“That's where I got my main dose of asbestos.”
I did a lot of maintenance work, and I was exposed to all these places, especially the chemical plants, the powerhouses, and the oil refineries with asbestos. And that went all the way into 1993.
Are Maintenance Workers Still at Risk Today?
The government began regulating asbestos in the 1970s and has since restricted many uses. However, maintenance workers remain at significant risk for asbestos exposure today. Drilling, tearing, sanding, and cutting older asbestos-containing materials during maintenance work can release microscopic fibers into the air. Demolition of older building parts could also release harmful asbestos particles.
Common Products That Exposed Maintenance Workers
Due to the nature of their job, maintenance workers were exposed to various asbestos products, including:
- Pipe Insulation
- Block Insulation
- High-Temperature Insulation Cements
- Refractory Cements
- Spray Refractory Products
- Valve Packing Material
Some products, such as insulation cements, become brittle over time and crumble during maintenance, releasing dust and airborne asbestos.
– Todd Kale, Mesothelioma Attorney
Job Sites in Louisiana That Exposed Maintenance Workers to Asbestos
Common job sites in Louisiana where maintenance workers were exposed to asbestos include shipyards, oil refineries, chemical plants, fertilizer plants, and power plants. Workers at the following Louisiana worksites have a high risk for asbestos exposure:
- Exxon Oil Refinery in Baton Rouge
- Avondale Shipyard in Avondale
- Borden Chemical Plant in Geismar
- Shell Oil & Chemical Refinery in Norco
- Dow Chemical Plant in Plaquemine
- BASF Chemical Plant in Geismar
- Union Carbine Chemical Plant in Taft
- American Cyanamid Chemical Plant in Garyville
- CF Industries Chemical Plant in Donaldsonville
- Allied Chemical Plant in Baton Rouge
- DuPont Chemical Plant in LaPlace
- Tenneco Oil Refinery in Chalmette
Maintenance workers were also exposed to asbestos during the repair and routine maintenance in schools, hospitals, churches, and commercial buildings.
A Wife’s Battle Story
“He Wanted to Provide for His Family.”
Support From Louisiana’s Local Unions
Louisiana’s local unions support maintenance workers with asbestos exposures by providing educational materials and asking lawyers from our sponsor, Baron & Budd, P.C., to speak to the membership about asbestos-related diseases, possible exposures, and how to avoid them.
Locals in Louisiana include the following:
- Local #16 in Metairie
- Local #270 in New Orleans
- Local #99 in Baton Rouge
- Local #406 in Metairie
- Local #60 in Metairie
- Local #141 in Shreveport
- Local #198 in Baton Rouge
- Local #247 in Alexandria
- Local #130 in Metairie
- Local #194 in Shreveport
- Local #446 in Monroe
- Local #576 in Alexandria
- Local #861 in Lake Charles
- Local #995 in Baton Rouge
- Local #1077 in Bogalusa
If you have any questions, please contact the office of the Louisiana AFL-CIO for assistance.
Our Sponsor
Baron & Budd, P.C. is an officially endorsed provider and Occupational Disease Counsel for the AFL-CIO of Louisiana and all Affiliated Local Unions. The firm’s members have cultivated long-standing friendships and business relationships with the Local leadership and members. They are frequently invited to present information on mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestos exposures to the Retiree Clubs and active members.
Compensation Available for Maintenance Workers with Mesothelioma
If you are a Louisiana Maintenance Worker who has been exposed to asbestos and diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. There are legal avenues available for both victims and their families to pursue their rights and seek justice:
- Mesothelioma Lawsuit: A mesothelioma lawsuit allows patients with asbestos-related illnesses to seek compensation for medical expenses, suffering, and other losses from asbestos exposure. These lawsuits target the companies responsible for the exposure, like manufacturers of asbestos products.
- Asbestos Trust Funds: Since the late 1980s, numerous asbestos companies have filed for bankruptcy protection. The courts have required them to establish asbestos trust funds to compensate those who develop asbestos-related diseases. These funds currently hold approximately $30 billion combined.
- Both: If multiple parties are responsible for your asbestos exposure, you may be eligible to file both a mesothelioma lawsuit and an asbestos trust claim. If more than one bankrupt company is responsible, you might be eligible to file claims with multiple trusts.
Settlements for Maintenance Workers with Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma and lung cancer patients can recover anywhere from $500,000 to $10 million in compensation, depending on the facts and circumstances of the individual case. The results vary and are not guaranteed, but are based on the facts of each potential case.
The Louisiana mesothelioma lawyers at our sponsor, Baron & Budd, P.C., have secured significant multi-million dollar settlements for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. These mesothelioma settlements and verdicts provide vital support to Louisiana families dealing with the challenges of mesothelioma and those mourning the loss of loved ones due to this devastating illness.
Over $7 Million for a Local 198 Member
A Local 198 member in Baton Rouge worked in various oil refineries, chemical plants, and industrial facilities throughout Louisiana. As a pipefitter, he was exposed to asbestos while maintaining existing piping systems that extended for miles across these plants. Many of these pipes were covered with asbestos-containing pipe insulation and insulating cements. To carry out the maintenance, workers had to remove these insulation products by knocking them off with hammers or pulling them down by hand.
Results are not guaranteed and vary.
This case was handled by the team of Baton Rouge mesothelioma lawyers and staff of our sponsor, Baron & Budd, P.C. The defendants ultimately settled the claims, and the firm pursued additional compensation for the Local 198 member from asbestos bankruptcy trusts.
Contact Louisiana Mesothelioma Advocates Today
If you or a loved one was a Maintenance Worker or Maintenance Man in Louisiana and has developed an asbestos-related disease, Louisiana Mesothelioma Advocates can help provide you with the information you need. We can connect you with our sponsor, Baron & Budd, P.C., who can recommend the best mesothelioma physicians and may be able to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Content Reviewed by
Todd Kale
Todd Kale meets with mesothelioma patients and their families across Louisiana to investigate their asbestos exposure, providing compassionate support and guidance during a difficult time.