Electricians were exposed to asbestos both in the electrical materials they installed and in the buildings and equipment they worked around.

How Electricians Were Exposed

Older wire and cable insulation, arc chutes, panel and switchgear backing boards, and electrical cloth were allegedly made with asbestos. Electricians also drilled, cut, and fished wire through asbestos-insulated walls, ceilings, and structural fireproofing, and worked in mechanical rooms, power plants, and industrial facilities where asbestos insulation was everywhere. Cutting asbestos board and disturbing insulation to run conduit and cable released fiber.

The Asbestos Materials — and the Products They Came In

Exposure tracked to a handful of material types. Each links to products documented in the AsbestosIndex as allegedly asbestos-containing:

Wire & cable insulation — stripped, spliced, and pulled:

Arc chutes, arc barriers & breaker components — replaced and cleaned during switchgear work:

Panels, load centers & switchgear boards — cut, drilled, and installed:

Structural fireproofing they disturbed — cut through to fish wire — see the Spray Fireproofing category.

Take-Home Risk to Families

Like other dusty trades, electricians carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin, and tools — exposing spouses and children who never worked with asbestos. See take-home asbestos exposure.

Browse the full Electrical and Electrical Components categories for more.

If you worked as an electrician and were diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease after exposure to asbestos on the job, you may have a legal claim.

Product references reflect allegations documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation. This information is published by an independent media organization — not a law firm — and is educational only. It does not constitute legal advice or provide legal services.