Why Arlington Workers and Families Are at Risk for Asbestos-Related Disease

Arlington grew rapidly through the mid-20th century as part of the expanding DFW industrial corridor, and its economy became anchored by automotive assembly, aerospace component manufacturing, and helicopter production (all industries that made extensive use of asbestos through the 1970s). The General Motors assembly plant that operated in Arlington for decades employed thousands of workers involved in vehicle production where asbestos was used in brake linings, clutch facings, gaskets, fireproofing around engine components, and the insulation materials incorporated into vehicle assemblies. Auto assembly workers who worked in production positions adjacent to these materials across multi-decade careers faced sustained daily asbestos exposure at the same time that the automotive industry's brake and clutch component suppliers were among the largest asbestos product users in American manufacturing.

Helicopter and aerospace manufacturing operations in and around Arlington also used asbestos in brake assemblies, gaskets, insulation blankets around powerplant components, and fire-resistant interior materials. Workers who assembled, tested, and maintained helicopter and aerospace systems throughout the DFW defense manufacturing corridor faced compound asbestos exposure across both aviation-specific and general industrial applications. Light industrial and warehouse facilities in Arlington's growing commercial zone also used asbestos-containing insulation, roofing, flooring, and ceiling materials throughout their construction which are exposure pathways for electricians, HVAC technicians, carpenters, and building maintenance workers across the metropolitan area.

Secondary asbestos exposure affected Arlington families whose workers brought fibers home from the auto plant, aerospace facilities, and light industrial sites. The take-home pathway like fibers on work clothing, in hair, and in shared vehicles is documented across automotive and aerospace manufacturing communities nationwide, and Arlington's auto plant workforce was large enough to create a meaningful secondary-exposure population. Family members who laundered work clothing or shared living space with auto-assembly or aerospace workers have been diagnosed with mesothelioma decades after their household exposure ended. Danziger & De Llano has represented both direct workers and their household family members in DFW Metroplex asbestos claims.