Louisiana Ironworkers and Mesothelioma
Louisiana ironworkers worked alongside other tradespeople who used products containing asbestos. These tradesmen directly handled asbestos-containing materials at industrial plants where ironworkers were present, exposing the ironworkers to asbestos. Asbestos exposure is known to cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other diseases years or even decades down the line.
Last Updated:
- May 12, 2025
Key Facts About Ironworkers
Asbestos Exposure Risk:
High
Causes of Exposure:
Primarily working around other trades utilizing asbestos in their work.
Asbestos Products:
Almost none. They worked around other trades using asbestos products.
Job Sites:
Oil refineries, chemical plants, power plants, paper mills, commercial buildings, and more.
Local Branches:
Ironworkers Local 846 (Chalmette) Ironworkers Local 623 (Baton Rouge) Ironworkers Local 58 (New Orleans)
Compensation Available:
Yes, if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, colon cancer, or asbestosis.
How Were Louisiana Ironworkers Exposed to Asbestos?
In many cases, Louisiana ironworkers were exposed to asbestos by working near other tradespeople who utilized asbestos-containing products in their work, such as insulators, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, and welders. Asbestos fibers do not only affect the workers handling them—they float in the air, invisible and undetected, where they can be inhaled or ingested by anyone on a job site. When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, they release tiny fibers into the air. When inhaled or ingested, these fibers become lodged in workers’ lungs and other tissues.
Did You Know?
Working around the other trades that handled the asbestos-containing insulation and other products is just as dangerous as working directly with them. Asbestos fibers are invisible, know no boundaries, and respect no trades.
Asbestos Products Used by Ironworkers
Though the bulk of the workplace asbestos exposure that ironworkers faced came from working around other trades using the material, ironworkers did come into direct contact with asbestos when handling products like metal girders used as building frameworks in most construction projects. When pierced with rivets, sanded down, or banged together, these girders released asbestos fibers into the air.
Ironworkers were also exposed to asbestos-containing fireproofing and soundproofing sprayed onto iron beams to increase their melt resistance through the 1960s and 1970s. In addition, their protective clothing, including gloves, aprons, pants, and vests, was often made with asbestos. Once that gear began to wear down, more fibers were released.
Some welders within the ironworker local unions also used welding rods with asbestos-containing flux. These welding rods were manufactured by:
- Hobart
- General Electric
- Westinghouse
- Lincoln
Questions About Mesothelioma?
Many ironworkers are uncertain about what steps to take after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Louisiana Job Sites Where Ironworkers Faced Asbestos Exposure
Louisiana Ironworkers were frequently exposed to asbestos at job sites where other tradespeople were working nearby, like oil refineries, chemical plants, paper mills, fertilizer plants, power plants, sugar refineries, commercial buildings, and more.
Few respiratory safety precautions existed for ironworkers during the 20th century. Most laborers worked without proper masks, and many job sites lacked adequate ventilation, trapping asbestos fibers in the workplace air.
Some of the major Louisiana job sites known to have exposed workers to asbestos along the Mississippi River bank include:
- La Station in Baton Rouge
- Imperial (Colonial) Sugar Mill in Gramercy
- Terra (Triad) Chemical Plant in Donaldsonville
- Norco Chemical Plant, Shell (NMC) in Norco
- Motiva Refinery in Geismar
- Georgia Gulf Paper Mill in Plaquemine
- Murphy Oil Refinery in Meraux
- Tembec (Crown) Paper Mill in St. Francisville
- Folgers Coffee Plant in New Orleans
- Allied Chemical Plant in Baton Rouge
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Support From the Local Unions in Louisiana
The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union is a trade association representing 120,000 union workers in North America since the 1890s. Louisiana is the home of three local lodges of this union, including:
Ironworker Unions and Locals in Louisiana Include:
- Ironworkers Local 846 in Chalmette
- Ironworkers Local 623 in Baton Rouge
- Ironworkers Local 58 in New Orleans
Local unions support ironworkers struggling with mesothelioma by providing educational materials and asking law firms like our sponsor, Baron & Budd, P.C., to speak to their membership about potential asbestos exposures and how to avoid them.
If you have any questions, please contact the office of the AFL-CIO of Louisiana 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 Options for Ironworkers Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
Multiple options for compensation may be available for Louisiana ironworkers and their families if they believe they were victims of asbestos exposure and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma. There are two main routes for compensation for an asbestos-related disease.
1) Mesothelioma Lawsuits: You may be entitled to file a mesothelioma lawsuit to recover compensation for medical costs, treatment expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
2) Asbestos Trust Funds: Many asbestos product manufacturers set up asbestos trust funds to compensate patients with asbestos-related diseases. These trust funds contain up to billions of dollars.
You may be eligible to receive compensation from a lawsuit, trust funds claims, or both.
Settlements for Ironworkers with Mesothelioma
Welders with mesothelioma have received millions of dollars for their medical costs and pain and suffering, including these two Baron & Budd, P.C. clients:
Over $4 million
for a union pipefitter and welder - The client developed epithelioid pleural mesothelioma from asbestos exposure at various chemical plants, aluminum plants, oil refineries, and power plants in Southeast Louisiana.
Over $3 million
for a Louisiana welder diagnosed with mesothelioma at 51 - In addition to his asbestos exposure at various shipyards and industrial sites, the client was exposed to asbestos brought into his childhood home by a sheet metal worker and a welder he lived with.
Contact Louisiana Mesothelioma Advocates
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos as a Louisiana ironworker—no matter how long ago the exposure occurred—contact Louisiana Mesothelioma Advocates for more information.
We’ll connect you with our sponsor, Baron & Budd, P.C., who can recommend the best routes for seeking treatment and compensation.
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.
Cited Source
- Iron Workers Union. IW Website. (n.d.). https://www.ironworkers.org/s/
- Reinforcing ironworkers: Iron Workers Local 846. Reinforcing Ironworkers | Iron Workers Local 846. (n.d.). https://www.iw846.org/
- Linkedunion. (n.d.). Ironworkers 623. https://www.ironworkerslocal623.org/
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- How Were Ironworkers Exposed to Asbestos?
- Asbestos Products Used Around Ironworkers
- Louisiana Job Sites that Exposed Ironworkers
- Local Union Support for Ironworkers in Louisiana
- What Compensation May Be Available for Ironworkers?
- Mesothelioma Settlements for Ironworkers
- Contact Louisiana Mesothelioma Advocates