Ironworkers
Union locals: Iron Workers Local 1 (Chicago) · Local 392 (East St. Louis — Granite City steel) · Local 112 (Peoria) · Local 46 (Springfield) · Local 111 (Quad Cities)
How Ironworkers Were Exposed to Asbestos
During normal duties, Ironworkers were routinely exposed to asbestos-containing materials in Illinois 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:
- Erecting structural steel while sprayed asbestos fireproofing was applied
- Welding and burning on beams coated with asbestos-containing fireproofing
- Rigging in boiler rooms and turbine halls during insulation work
- Cutting and installing reinforcing bar through transite forms
- Ongoing exposure to settled fireproofing dust in completed steel buildings
Why This Matters for Illinois Workers
If you worked as an ironworkers in Illinois 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.
Illinois Filing Deadlines — Two Separate Clocks
Illinois keeps the personal-injury clock (735 ILCS 5/13-202 — 2 years from diagnosis) and the wrongful-death clock (740 ILCS 180/2 — 2 years from date of death) on separate, independent tracks. Preserving one does not extend the other. An experienced Illinois asbestos attorney can keep both options open as your situation evolves.
Talk to an Experienced Illinois 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.
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