Steelworkers work with the manufacture of steel from iron ore or scrap metal, manufacture of coke, and preparation of manufactured steel to meet customer specifications. Steelworkers have been heavily exposed to asbestos. The factory fixtures and machinery in a steel plant used large amounts of asbestos to protect them from the intense heat required by the manufacturing process. Steam pipes, boilers, high temperature refractory furnace linings, launders, smelters, and ladles were protected by asbestos. Asbestos blankets and cloths were used to regulate the rate of cooling of metal castings. Additionally, steelworkers were exposed by use of personal protective clothing such as aprons, leggings, and gloves. The relationship between exposure to asbestos in the manufacture of steel and the development of mesothelioma in steelworkers is well documented. Steelworkers not only have been exposed to asbestos, but also have experienced high levels of exposure.
