Ohio-based Lincoln Electric serves the welding industry, manufacturing tools, safety equipment, and accessories. Lincoln Electric used asbestos in products for years, causing mesothelioma in some workers Lincoln never had to file for bankruptcy or start an asbestos trust despite numerous lawsuits.
Lincoln Electric was founded in 1895 by an electric motor designer named John Lincoln. He started a motor sales business with just $200. Lincoln’s brother also joined the company, which expanded to offer welding sets and battery chargers for automobiles.[1] Er70s6 Welding Wire
Today, the company is based in Euclid, Ohio, and sells products and services to the welding industry. Lincoln Electric makes welders, arc welders, torches, wire and arc feeders, electrodes, fume control solutions, stick welders, welding guns, plasma cutters, accessories, and many more.
Industries that buy Lincoln’s gear include automotive, nuclear energy, offshore drilling, power generation, pipelines, liquid natural gas, wind energy, thermal energy, and shipbuilding, among others.
All the company’s welding products have been asbestos-free since 1981. Lincoln Electric manufactured welding rods with as much as 15% asbestos for decades.
Welders use welding rods to join two metal components. Rods are surrounded by a material called flux that prevents the oxidation of the metal. For many years, this material contained asbestos because it added strength and protected welders from fire.
Years of asbestos use in these welding rods potentially exposed thousands of workers to harmful asbestos fibers. Though asbestos protected workers from heat, tiny asbestos fibers could come loose to float in the air.
Once these fibers become airborne, anyone in the area can inhale them. Asbestos fibers are harmful because they can become lodged in body tissue, causing extensive damage over time. Some people exposed to asbestos will eventually develop lung cancer, mesothelioma, or asbestosis.
Workers who made these welding rods risked harmful asbestos exposure on the job, as did people working with them in other industries.
Some of the workers that risked exposure to asbestos in Lincoln Electric products include:
Workers in many other industries that used these welding rods also put themselves and others around them at risk of asbestos exposure.
For decades, Lincoln Electric’s welding rods contained asbestos. Because of this, many workers in a range of industries were affected. Some of those who got sick sued Lincoln Electric and other companies. These workers claimed the companies that manufactured products with asbestos did not warn them of the potential risks.
Lincoln Electric has spent years defending against similar lawsuits and has avoided bankruptcy. Because Lincoln Electric did not file for bankruptcy protection, the company did not have to establish an asbestos trust.
If you believe Lincoln Electric is liable for your asbestos illness, rely on a lawyer experienced in asbestos and mesothelioma cases to help you through the process.
A lawyer will provide a free case evaluation. They can investigate your exposure and determine which companies can be held liable. They will give you options for seeking damages and help you file a lawsuit if you decide to proceed.
Mary Ellen Ellis has been the head writer for Mesothelioma.net since 2016. With hundreds of mesothelioma and asbestos articles to her credit, she is one of the most experienced writers on these topics. Her degrees and background in science and education help her explain complicated medical topics for a wider audience. Mary Ellen takes pride in providing her readers with the critical information they need following a diagnosis of an asbestos-related illness.
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