Union: International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)

How Operating Engineers Were Exposed to Asbestos

During normal duties, Operating Engineers were routinely exposed to asbestos-containing materials in Oklahoma industrial, commercial, and public construction work from the 1930s through the 1980s. Documented exposure pathways drawn from public litigation records and industrial hygiene literature include:

  • Operating stationary boilers and steam plants insulated with asbestos
  • Maintaining heavy equipment with asbestos brake linings and clutches
  • Repacking valves and replacing gaskets on plant utilities
  • Working in boiler rooms and engine rooms alongside insulators
  • Crane and hoist work in industrial buildings during construction

Why This Matters for Oklahoma Workers

If you worked as a operating engineers in Oklahoma during the asbestos era and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or pleural disease, you may have a legal claim — even if your employer is no longer in business. Many asbestos product manufacturers have established bankruptcy trust funds that continue to pay qualified claimants based on documented exposure history.

Oklahoma Filing Deadlines

Oklahoma’s statute of limitations for asbestos personal-injury claims is two years from the date of diagnosis (12 Okla. Stat. § 95(A)(3)). Wrongful-death claims carry a two-year limit from the date of death (12 Okla. Stat. § 1053). An experienced asbestos attorney can evaluate your specific deadlines.

Talk to an Experienced Asbestos Attorney

A free, confidential consultation with O’Brien Law Firm in St. Louis can evaluate your specific exposure history and filing-deadline situation. No fee unless they pursue a legal claim.

☎ (314) 237-7046

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