When these items started to fray due to being worn down, asbestos particles easily became airborne.
Machinists would frequently bring these asbestos fibers home on their clothes and body. This way, family members were often subjected to second-hand exposure and were also at risk for having their health deteriorate in time.
A strong link was found between breathing asbestos dust and developing asbestos-related diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis. For these machinists, the diagnosis of illnesses caused by asbestos exposure is usually given way too late due to the prolonged latency of these disorders.
Machinists were also present in the military, with the rating of machinist's mate. They were performing their work in the Navy, the Air Force, the Army and the Marine Corps. Also known as engine mechanics, machinist’s mates were responsible for inspecting, adjusting, testing, repairing, and overhauling engines and propellers. They would install multiple aircraft engine types and accessories, as well as gearboxes, related fuel systems, and lubrication systems. Because the equipment they would be in charge of was manufactured with asbestos products, machinist’s mates are now at a moderate risk of receiving a serious diagnosis.
Relevant job titles
- insulation machinist
- machinist helper
- marine machinist
- outside machinist
- steam machinist
- tool room machinist
- navy machinist
- furnace machinist
- mechanic
- machinery operator
- manual machinist
- aviation machinist's mate
