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How Can a Dairy Farmer Get Mesothelioma by Occupational Exposure to Asbestos?
Asbestos was used for many applications throughout the 1930s to the late 1970s before knowledge of its dangers became well known. Some of the most common pathways of asbestos exposure on dairy farmers were:
Farm Equipment
Asbestos is a material that is resistant to heat and helps prevent fires. This made it ideal for use in many vehicle components, including brakes, brake pads, brake linings and other friction parts. Additionally, other components including gaskets, clutches, seals, insulation panels, under spray and hood liners also often contained asbestos. Prior to the 1980s, many tractors were standard and would put additional wear on some components, which would make it more dangerous for farmers to be exposed to asbestos when they replaced brake linings or other components on tractors.
Asbestos cement pipes were commonly used as field drains.
Farm Buildings
Because asbestos was cheap and durable, it was once used in more than 4,000 construction materials. These materials were also used to construct farm buildings, like barns, silos, sheds and farmhouses. Some of the asbestos products that may have been contained in these buildings include the following:
- Asbestos cement
- Insulation
- Floor tiles
- Shingles
- Paint
- Piping
- Roof sheets
- Siding
- Wallboards
- Gutters
Over time, these building deteriorate. Materials may crack, causing asbestos fibers to be released into the air where dairy farmers and others nearby can breathe in these toxic minerals.
Vermiculite
Another source of possible asbestos exposure for asbestos workers is contaminated vermiculite. This material is used for various purposes, such as for potting soils, animal feed and fertilizer. Asbestos sometimes grows beside vermiculite. Farmers who purchased asbestos-contaminated vermiculite to use on their dairy farm could have been exposed to asbestos at this time.
Natural Deposits
Likewise, dairy farmers can sometimes be exposed to asbestos from natural sources. This material grows naturally in various areas throughout the United States, including Texas, California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico. Farmers may unintentionally disturb asbestos deposits in the soil or added there by contaminated vermiculite, causing asbestos fibers to enter the atmosphere. Some communities have sent environmental warnings to residents that asbestos may be in the drinking water or soil
Locations in the United States for the Highest Employment Rates for Dairy Farmers
There are currently an estimated 975,400 workers employed under the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ category of farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers.
States with the highest employment rates for this category of workers include the following:
- California
- Texas
- Illinois
- Idaho
- Washington
Similar Occupations as Dairy Farmers
Occupations that are similar to dairy farmers include:
- Agricultural equipment mechanics and operators
- Animal care workers
- Equipment operators
- Farmhands
- Poultry farmers
- Ranchers
- Sharecroppers
- Sheep, goat or cattle farmers
- Vegetable farmers
Lawsuits and Settlements Involving Dairy Farmers and Mesothelioma
Compared to many other occupations, dairy farmers have a lower likelihood of developing mesothelioma due to occupational exposure to asbestos. However, there have been some notable cases involving farmers who have developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos on the job. For example, a jury awarded 438 million to a farmer in 2013 who spent decades working with and around machines on his family farm and as a heavy equipment operator. He developed mesothelioma and filed a lawsuit against 13 of the manufacturers who were responsible for pumps, valves and other asbestos-contaminated products that he used during his career. Durco, Crane and Byron Jackson were the only remaining defendants when the case went to trial. The jury found them responsible for the man’s exposure to asbestos, that they should have known about the dangers of their products and that they failed to take necessary action to warn and protect workers about their dangers.
Studies Related to Dairy Farmers and Asbestos
There have been several studies that show a connection between asbestos exposure and agricultural work. High rates of asbestosis were reported as early as 1967 and a 2012 study showed agricultural activities increased the presence of naturally-occurring asbestos fibers tenfold.
There was also a case study completed on a 77-year old dairy farmer with a right pleural effusion that suggests that dairy farmers should be assessed for occupational asbestos exposure.
Types of Asbestos Products Used by Dairy Farmers
Some of the products that dairy farmers may have used that caused them to become exposed to asbestos include the following:
- Brakes
- Brake pads
- Brake linings
- Gaskets
- Valves
- Insulation
- Clutches
- Engine parts
- Seals
- Shingles
- Floor tiles
- Roofing felt
- Joint compound
- Drywall
- Drywall tape
Manufacturers of Asbestos Products Used by Dairy Farmers
In order to receive compensation for asbestos exposure, you must be able to connect your exposure to a product that you came in contact with that contained asbestos. Some companies that added asbestos to their products and have been named in asbestos litigation include:
- Caterpillar
- Crane Co.
- John Deere
- Dairy Farmers of America
- National Gypsum
- Union Carbide
- Monsanto
