At the southern end of the sprawling Weirton Steel complex sat Browns Island, a critical industrial site that once housed the plant’s coke battery operations. Workers who spent years or even decades in and around this area may have faced serious health risks due to prolonged exposure to asbestos-containing materials used throughout the coke production process.
Coke Batteries and Asbestos Risk
The coke ovens on Browns Island were vital to steelmaking, turning coal into coke through intense heat. Unfortunately, heat-resistant materials like pipe insulation, gaskets, refractories, and protective clothing often contained asbestos. Maintenance crews, pipefitters, electricians, and boiler workers all routinely disturbed these materials without proper protection—resulting in significant airborne fiber release.
Even supervisors and clerical staff who rarely entered the hot zones may have experienced secondary exposure. The dust didn’t stay on site.
Take-Home Asbestos Risk for Families
Many families in Weirton and nearby towns were also unknowingly endangered. Take-home exposure occurred when workers carried asbestos dust home on their clothes, shoes, and vehicles. Spouses and children who shook out laundry or hugged their loved ones at the door could have been exposed just like those on the jobsite. Learn more about take-home asbestos cases here.
Why Weirton Steel Browns Island Still Matters
Though the coke batteries have long since shut down, the legacy of asbestos exposure remains. If you or a family member worked at Browns Island and later developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, there may still be time to pursue justice.
We’ve helped Weirton families for decades, and attorney Lee W. Davis has over 35 years of experience representing those impacted by the steel industry’s asbestos legacy.
Talk to a Weirton Steel Browns Island Asbestos Lawyer Today
Don’t wait for symptoms to worsen or assume it’s too late. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease and worked at Weirton Steel’s Browns Island site, we want to hear from you.
📞 Call us at (412) 781-0525
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Also see our related post: Weirton Steel Mesothelioma Lawyer