Product Description
General Electric allegedly manufactured a large share of U.S. utility substation transformers, from small distribution units up through 500 kV auto-transformers, at Pittsfield MA, Rome GA, and Shreveport LA plants, according to publicly filed asbestos litigation records. The oil-filled tank design used bolt-on radiator banks for convection cooling, and each radiator header flange, manhole cover, hand-hole plate, conservator connection, and pressure-relief device seated on a compressed-sheet gasket that allegedly contained asbestos fiber (chrysotile bonded in nitrile or SBR). Substation mechanics chasing oil leaks on aging GE transformers routinely allegedly broke down radiator flanges, scraped baked gasket residue off cast-iron mating surfaces with wire brushes and gasket scrapers, and installed replacement gaskets from GE service kits — releasing gasket dust into the switchyard air on containment pads.
Workers Exposed
Substation transformer mechanics, GE field-service technicians, IBEW substation electricians, utility maintenance foremen, and demolition/scrap crews allegedly encountered airborne fibers when removing and replacing GE radiator gaskets, manhole gaskets, and pressure-relief seats. Power plant electricians handling generator step-up transformers built by GE allegedly faced identical exposure.