The Reading Railroad, a cornerstone of Pennsylvania’s industrial history, played a major role in shaping the economic and cultural landscape of the region. Among its many facilities, the Reading Railroad Shops in Reading, PA, stood out as an important hub for locomotive repair, manufacturing, and heavy industry. However, beneath this industrial success lay a silent threat that would lead to widespread litigation: asbestos exposure.
The Role of Asbestos in Railroad Industry
During much of the 20th century, asbestos was widely used in industrial settings due to its heat-resistant properties. In the railroad industry, asbestos was a crucial component in locomotive insulation, brake linings, gaskets, and other equipment that had to withstand high temperatures. The machine shops in Reading, where workers toiled daily on locomotive maintenance and repairs, were no exception. Workers came into frequent contact with asbestos-laden materials as they handled the inner workings of engines, boilers, and various mechanical components.
Though effective in preventing fires and providing insulation, asbestos would later prove to be a major health hazard.
Asbestos Exposure at the Reading Railroad Machine Shops
For decades, workers at the Reading Railroad machine shops were exposed to asbestos dust and fibers without adequate protective measures. Asbestos fibers, when disturbed, become airborne and can be inhaled or ingested. Once in the body, these fibers remain lodged in tissues, potentially causing serious health conditions. Mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer affecting the lining of the lungs and other organs, as well as asbestosis (a chronic lung disease) and lung cancer, have all been linked to asbestos exposure.
At the time, workers and employers were largely unaware of the severe risks posed by asbestos. The latency period of asbestos-related diseases can span decades, meaning workers exposed in the mid-20th century often did not begin showing symptoms until many years later.
NIOSH Report Uncovers Asbestos Hazards at Reading Car Shops
A report was written in November 1981 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). It was prepared in response to a request made in October 1980 for a health hazard evaluation at the Reading Car Shops, which were owned by the Consolidated Rail Corporation, which took over the operations of the Reading Railroad on April 1, 1976. The primary reasons for conducting this evaluation were:
- Asbestos Exposure Concerns: Workers were potentially being exposed to asbestos due to deteriorating insulation in the facility’s obsolete heating system and ceiling materials.
- Reported Cases of Mesothelioma: Three retired workers from the facility had been diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma, a cancer linked to asbestos exposure. The report aimed to assess the health impact on current and past workers, particularly those exposed during the steam locomotive operations prior to 1953.
The investigation sought to evaluate the asbestos contamination, its potential health risks, and recommend appropriate safety measures to mitigate further exposure.
The report, titled Health Hazard Evaluation Determination Report, provided crucial findings on asbestos exposure at the Reading Car Shops. The investigation aimed to assess deteriorated insulation and ceiling materials and evaluate cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma in retired workers, with exposure likely originating from the facility’s operations.
Background and Investigation
The investigation was conducted in response to concerns over asbestos exposure at the Reading Car Shops, where workers were at risk due to decaying pipe insulation and ceiling materials. Asbestos exposure was a significant concern, particularly for employees working during the steam locomotive era prior to 1953. The obsolete forced hot-water heating system, which was found to be deteriorating, posed a severe health hazard. NIOSH confirmed asbestos in various parts of the facility, such as the powerhouse, boilers, and heating mains.
Additionally, three cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma were identified among retired workers, highlighting the long-term risks associated with asbestos exposure. These cases were confirmed through clinical data, chest radiographs, and tissue specimens, verifying occupational exposure dating back to the 1940s during steam locomotive operations.
Health Risks and Recommendations
Asbestos exposure was well-documented to cause serious health conditions such as asbestosis and mesothelioma, with no known threshold below which asbestos was considered safe. The workers employed during the steam locomotive era faced the highest risks due to frequent contact with asbestos materials used for insulation in boilers, fireboxes, and railway cars.
NIOSH’s evaluation revealed widespread asbestos contamination in the insulation materials used in the facility, particularly in the freight car, passenger car, and wheel shops. Recommendations were made to remove asbestos from all inhabited areas in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Encapsulation was also suggested for some areas, where sealing asbestos materials could prevent fiber release.
Future Actions and Worker Safety
To address the long-term health risks, NIOSH planned to screen survivors of the steam locomotive era for asbestos-related diseases. Additionally, an industry-wide mortality study was proposed to quantify the health impacts on workers exposed to asbestos before 1953. These investigations were critical in understanding the widespread occupational health concerns linked to asbestos in the railroad industry and ensuring better protection and monitoring of workers’ health.
The report emphasized the importance of adhering to stringent asbestos removal and disposal protocols, including using appropriate respiratory protection, setting up decontamination facilities, and monitoring air quality during and after asbestos removal. These safety measures were crucial in mitigating the risks posed by asbestos exposure to workers in similar industrial settings.
Conclusion
The NIOSH report highlighted the significant health risks posed by asbestos exposure in industrial environments like the Reading Car Shops. The findings underscored the necessity for ongoing monitoring, protective measures, and strict adherence to regulatory guidelines to protect workers from the harmful effects of asbestos exposure.
Legal Battles Begin: The Rise of Asbestos Lawsuits
As awareness of the dangers of asbestos exposure grew in the 1970s and 1980s, former workers from the Reading Railroad machine shops, along with their families, began filing lawsuits. They claimed that the railroad and its suppliers failed to adequately protect them from asbestos or warn them of the risks. The lawsuits targeted not only the Reading Railroad but also manufacturers of asbestos-containing products used in the shops.
These legal actions mirrored the wider wave of asbestos-related lawsuits that swept across the United States during this period. In many cases, workers sought compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering resulting from asbestos-related illnesses. Families of those who had died from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases also pursued wrongful death claims.
The legal system eventually established asbestos trusts to manage claims against companies that had used or produced asbestos products, as many of these companies, including parts of the Reading Railroad, went bankrupt due to the volume of lawsuits.
The Impact on the Community
The lawsuits not only highlighted the human toll of industrial asbestos exposure but also sparked broader concerns in the Reading, PA, community about the potential environmental risks posed by asbestos. Buildings, factories, and locomotives that had been in service for decades all contained asbestos, raising questions about ongoing safety and cleanup efforts. Workers who had spent years in the machine shops found themselves facing an uncertain future as their health deteriorated, and their families were burdened with medical costs and emotional distress.
The Reading Railroad machine shops, which had once been a symbol of industrial progress and economic growth, became a stark reminder of the long-term consequences of workplace exposure to hazardous materials.
A Legacy of Awareness
While the lawsuits against the Reading Railroad and its asbestos suppliers helped secure compensation for many affected workers, they also played a crucial role in raising public awareness about asbestos and its dangers. Over time, the use of asbestos was heavily regulated, and today, asbestos-containing materials are either banned or tightly controlled in many countries.
The asbestos lawsuits stemming from the Reading Railroad machine shops in Reading, PA, are part of a broader legacy of industrial-era practices that prioritized production over health and safety. While the lawsuits provided a measure of justice for those harmed, they also serve as a cautionary tale for industries worldwide. Today, the site of the old machine shops stands not only as a relic of Pennsylvania’s rich industrial past but as a testament to the workers whose lives were forever changed by asbestos exposure.
The asbestos exposure at the Reading Railroad machine shops had profound and heartbreaking consequences, not only for the workers but for their families as well. Many families lost loved ones to mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related diseases—illnesses that took decades to manifest, leaving families shocked and devastated. For these families, the legal battles that followed were not just about seeking compensation; they were about seeking justice and acknowledgment of the suffering their loved ones endured.
The loss of a family member to an asbestos-related disease often left a deep emotional and financial void. Spouses were left without partners, children without parents, and the burden of medical bills compounded the grief. Many families struggled to care for their loved ones through long, painful illnesses, watching as the health of those who had worked hard in the machine shops deteriorated from an invisible and silent threat.
The lawsuits against the Reading Railroad and its suppliers provided some measure of relief, but for many families, no amount of compensation could truly make up for the lives lost. These cases served as a somber reminder of the dangers of industrial practices that prioritized production over safety and the long-lasting effects of exposure to hazardous materials like asbestos.
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