Overview
Bricklayers and masons faced asbestos exposure from refractory materials, mortar additives, and working in industrial environments with extensive asbestos insulation. Refractory bricklaying in furnaces, kilns, and boilers involved particularly high exposure to asbestos-containing materials.
Asbestos in Masonry Materials
| Material | Application | Exposure Level |
|---|---|---|
| Refractory mortar | High-heat applications | Very High |
| Refractory cement | Furnace and kiln work | Very High |
| Insulating firebrick | Industrial furnaces | High |
| Mortar additives | General masonry | Moderate |
| Block fill insulation | Wall insulation | Moderate |
How Bricklayers Were Exposed
Refractory Work
The highest exposure occurred during refractory bricklaying:
- Mixing dry refractory mortar (heavy dust generation)
- Installing brick in furnaces, kilns, and boilers
- Working inside confined industrial equipment
- Removing deteriorated refractory material
General Masonry
Standard masonry work also involved exposure:
- Using mortar with asbestos additives
- Working near other trades disturbing asbestos
- Building structures that would receive asbestos insulation
Refractory bricklayers who worked in steel mills, power plants, and industrial furnace environments faced particularly intense asbestos exposure from refractory cements and mortars.
Work Environments
Bricklayers faced exposure building and repairing refractories in steel mills across Pennsylvania and Indiana, including blast furnaces and ladles; power plants building and rebricking boilers; foundries casting metal; ceramic and glass plants lining kilns; and general construction projects. Between 1940 and 1980, refractory bricklayers handled mortars and gunning mixes from Johns Manville and Kaiser Aluminum that contained chrysotile and amosite asbestos.
Related Occupations
Bricklayers worked alongside:
- Boilermakers, Boiler construction
- Furnace workers, Industrial furnaces
- Laborers, Material handling
- Hod carriers, Material supply
- Insulators, Industrial insulation
Health Consequences
Bricklayers face elevated risk of mesothelioma, a cancer of the chest or abdominal lining; asbestosis, a progressive scarring of the lungs; lung cancer, with risk multiplied among smokers; and pleural disease that thickens the lining around the lungs.
Legal Options
Bricklayers diagnosed with mesothelioma typically pursue several tracks in parallel. Refractory-material manufacturers such as Johns Manville and Eagle-Picher established asbestos trust funds through bankruptcy reorganization. Trust claims often run alongside product-liability suits against solvent refractory manufacturers, premises-liability claims against facility owners, VA benefits for military service exposure, and workers’ compensation through a former employer.