Steelworkers
Union locals: USW Local 1299 (US Steel Great Lakes Works / Zug Island / Ecorse / River Rouge, idled 2020)
How Steelworkers Were Exposed to Asbestos
During normal duties, Steelworkers were routinely exposed to asbestos-containing materials in Michigan 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:
- Working blast furnaces, coke ovens, and BOFs at Great Lakes Works (Ecorse/River Rouge)
- Handling asbestos-backed hot tops and ladle insulation
- Wearing asbestos gloves, aprons, and leggings during heat operations
- Replacing asbestos gaskets on rolling mill drives and reheat furnaces
- Bystander exposure during furnace relines and refractory tear-out
Why This Matters for Michigan Workers
If you worked as a steelworkers in Michigan 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.
Michigan Filing Deadlines — Two Separate Clocks
Michigan keeps the personal-injury clock (MCL § 600.5805(2) — 3 years from diagnosis) and the wrongful-death clock (MCL § 600.2922 — 3 years from date of death) on separate, independent tracks. Preserving one does not extend the other. An experienced Michigan asbestos attorney can keep both options open as your situation evolves.
Talk to an Experienced Michigan Asbestos Attorney
A free, confidential consultation with O’Brien Law Firm can evaluate your specific exposure history and filing-deadline situation. No fee unless they recover compensation.
☎ (314) 588-0558