Understanding Asbestos Exposure Risks in California

Where asbestos exposure may have occurred in California

California’s size, population, coastline, military presence, industrial base, and construction history make it one of the most important states to review when learning about asbestos exposure. For much of the twentieth century, asbestos-containing materials were widely used because they resisted heat, fire, friction, chemical damage, and electrical hazards.

Common California exposure settings may include naval shipyards, commercial ship repair facilities, oil refineries, petrochemical plants, aerospace and defense manufacturing facilities, power plants, schools, hospitals, universities, apartments, older homes, public buildings, industrial plants, and construction or demolition projects.

Exposure may have occurred when asbestos-containing materials were installed, repaired, removed, cut, scraped, sanded, demolished, or disturbed during routine maintenance, plant shutdowns, building renovation, equipment replacement, or ship repair.

Common California industries historically associated with asbestos use

California workers in maritime, refining, aerospace, power generation, construction, public maintenance, demolition, manufacturing, rail, and military work may have encountered asbestos-containing products. The level of concern depends on the time period, material condition, job duties, ventilation, and whether dust controls were used.

California shipyards, Navy bases, and maritime exposure

California’s coastline supported major naval and commercial maritime activity. Shipbuilding and ship repair were historically associated with extensive asbestos use because ships required heat protection, fire resistance, and insulation in confined mechanical areas. Engine rooms, boiler rooms, pump rooms, turbine areas, and pipe chases often contained asbestos-containing insulation and mechanical components.

California exposure histories may include work connected to Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, San Diego-area naval facilities, Alameda, Richmond, Los Angeles Harbor, and other ship repair or maritime support locations. Workers who may have been affected include Navy personnel, machinists, pipefitters, insulators, electricians, welders, boilermakers, laborers, mechanics, and outside contractors.

Aerospace manufacturing and defense contractors

California has been a national center for aerospace and defense manufacturing. Older aerospace plants and defense facilities may have used asbestos-containing products in high-heat applications, brakes, clutches, insulation, laboratory equipment, ovens, furnaces, electrical equipment, gaskets, adhesives, protective textiles, and industrial machinery.

Aircraft manufacturing, missile programs, electronics production, testing laboratories, and maintenance operations may have involved workers such as machinists, mechanics, electricians, engineers, laboratory staff, maintenance personnel, sheet metal workers, and production workers.

Power plants and utility facilities in California

California power generation facilities historically used boilers, turbines, generators, condensers, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and extensive steam systems. Asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, packing, and fire-resistant materials were common in many older power plants because the equipment operated under heat, pressure, and electrical hazard conditions.

Utility workers, turbine mechanics, boiler workers, electricians, pipefitters, insulators, maintenance crews, and contractors may have encountered asbestos during outages, equipment rebuilds, insulation replacement, valve repairs, pump work, boiler maintenance, and demolition of older units.

Pipe insulation in California industrial and public buildings

Pipe insulation is one of the most recognizable asbestos-related materials in older industrial and commercial buildings. Thermal insulation may have been applied to steam lines, condensate lines, hot-water lines, process piping, elbows, valves, tanks, boilers, and mechanical equipment.

When pipe insulation becomes damaged, deteriorated, cut, removed, or disturbed, fibers may become airborne. Pipe elbows, flanges, valves, and fittings are especially important because they are often handled during repairs and maintenance.

Construction, demolition, and renovation exposure

California has millions of older residential, commercial, institutional, and public buildings. Asbestos-containing materials may be present in structures built before modern restrictions, including floor tile, sheet flooring, black mastic, drywall joint compound, ceiling texture, plaster, pipe insulation, boiler insulation, roofing, siding, fireproofing, transite panels, and HVAC components.

Construction workers, demolition crews, electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, roofers, carpenters, laborers, maintenance workers, and remodelers may have encountered asbestos during renovation or demolition work.

California schools, universities, hospitals, and public buildings

Older California schools, universities, hospitals, courthouses, libraries, municipal buildings, and public facilities may have included asbestos-containing materials in floor tile, ceiling materials, pipe insulation, boiler rooms, mechanical rooms, fireproofing, roofing, and wall systems. Many of these materials are not a concern if intact and properly managed, but they become important when damaged, deteriorated, renovated, or removed.

School maintenance personnel, custodians, teachers, renovation workers, HVAC contractors, plumbers, electricians, and building inspectors may encounter hidden building materials during repairs.

Naturally occurring asbestos in California

California also has naturally occurring asbestos in certain geologic formations, especially where serpentine rock is present. This topic is different from workplace exposure to manufactured asbestos products, but it is relevant because soil or rock disturbance may create airborne fibers in some locations.

Construction, grading, quarrying, road work, mining, development, and off-road vehicle activity in areas with naturally occurring asbestos can require special attention.

California industries historically associated with asbestos

California exposure history may include oil refining in Richmond, Martinez, El Segundo, Wilmington, Carson, Bakersfield, Torrance, and other industrial corridors; shipbuilding and ship repair around San Francisco Bay, Los Angeles Harbor, Long Beach, and San Diego; aerospace manufacturing in Southern California; power generation across the state; and renovation of older public and commercial buildings.

Occupational and secondhand exposure in California

Occupational exposure may have occurred when California workers handled or worked near asbestos-containing materials. Jobs of interest can include shipyard workers, Navy personnel, refinery workers, aerospace workers, power plant employees, pipefitters, insulators, welders, electricians, boiler workers, millwrights, mechanics, construction trades, demolition workers, custodians, and industrial laborers.

Secondhand exposure, also called take-home exposure, may have occurred when workers carried asbestos dust home on clothing, boots, hair, vehicles, tools, or laundry. Family members may have encountered fibers even if they never worked in an industrial facility.

Asbestos-containing materials commonly found in California buildings and workplaces

• Pipe insulation, boiler insulation, and thermal system insulation
• Shipboard insulation, marine gaskets, packing, fireproofing, and engine-room materials
• Refinery and petrochemical gaskets, pumps, valves, packing, and process equipment
• Power plant turbine insulation, steam line insulation, and boiler materials
• Aerospace heat-resistant components, brakes, insulation, and industrial equipment
• Vinyl floor tile, sheet flooring, and black mastic adhesive
• Ceiling texture, plaster, drywall joint compound, and sprayed fireproofing
• Roofing materials, siding, cement board, and transite panels

Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related diseases

Asbestos exposure is associated with several serious diseases. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium, the lining around certain organs. The most common form, pleural mesothelioma, affects the lining around the lungs. Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease involving scarring of lung tissue. Asbestos exposure is also associated with pleural plaques and an increased risk of lung cancer.

These diseases may take many years to develop after exposure. A person’s exposure history may include jobs, buildings, military service, shipyards, refineries, power plants, aerospace facilities, construction work, or household exposure from decades earlier.

Educational Information

If you are trying to organize possible asbestos exposure history in California, it may help to write down job sites, employers, dates, industries, products, ships, military sites, refinery units, power plants, aerospace facilities, building materials, and whether any household exposure may have occurred.

Why California Has Historically Experienced Significant Asbestos Exposure

California has long been one of the nation’s largest centers for shipbuilding, Navy operations, aerospace manufacturing, oil refining, power generation, construction, agriculture-related processing, public infrastructure, and commercial development. Many facilities built before the 1980s relied heavily on asbestos-containing insulation, pipe coverings, boiler systems, gaskets, refractory materials, fireproofing products, floor tile, roofing, and mechanical equipment components.

Workers employed in shipyards, naval facilities, refineries, aerospace plants, power stations, manufacturing facilities, schools, hospitals, construction trades, demolition work, commercial maintenance, and public buildings may have encountered asbestos-containing materials during installation, maintenance, repair, renovation, demolition, or equipment replacement activities.

Major California regions historically associated with asbestos exposure include Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, Martinez, Vallejo, Alameda, Bakersfield, El Segundo, Wilmington, Carson, Sacramento, and other industrial, military, maritime, refinery, and construction corridors.

Official California Government and Medical Resources

Individuals seeking additional information about asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, occupational health, environmental regulations, worker safety, veterans resources, and medical treatment options in California may find the following official resources helpful.

California Health & Environmental Agencies

• California Department of Public Health (CDPH) – State public health information and disease resources.
• Cal/OSHA – Division of Occupational Safety and Health – California workplace safety and health requirements.
• California Air Resources Board (CARB) – Air quality information and asbestos-related air regulatory resources.
• California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) – Hazardous materials and toxic substance information.
• California Geological Survey – Naturally Occurring Asbestos – California information about naturally occurring asbestos and geologic hazards.

California Medical & Cancer Resources

• UCSF Health
• UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
• City of Hope
• Stanford Cancer Center
• UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

Worker Safety & Occupational Exposure Resources

• NIOSH Asbestos Resources
• OSHA Asbestos Standards

Mesothelioma & Public Health Information

• National Cancer Institute – Mesothelioma Information
• ATSDR Asbestos Information

California Veterans Resources

• California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet)
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs