Welders were exposed to asbestos because their work required protection from the intense heat they generated — and that protection was, for decades, made of asbestos.

How Welders Were Exposed

Welders worked with asbestos blankets, curtains, gloves, aprons, and pads to shield themselves and surrounding materials from sparks and heat, and the welding rods and electrodes they burned carried asbestos in their flux coatings. They also frequently cut into and welded on insulated pipe, boilers, and equipment, disturbing the asbestos insulation and gaskets around their work. In shipyards, power plants, and refineries, welders worked shoulder-to-shoulder with insulators in confined, fiber-filled spaces.

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:

Welding rod & electrode coatings — burned and released fiber-bearing fumes and dust:

Welding blankets, curtains & pads — draped and handled to catch sparks:

Gloves & protective clothing — worn and worn out:

Pipe & equipment insulation and gaskets they cut into — see the Pipe Insulation and Gaskets & Packing categories.

Take-Home Risk to Families

Like other dusty trades, welders 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 Textiles category for more asbestos cloth and protective products.

If you worked as a welder 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.