Westinghouse Electric Corporation: Asbestos Products and Occupational Exposure History

Westinghouse Electric Corporation was one of the most consequential industrial manufacturers in American history, producing electrical infrastructure, heavy machinery, and power generation equipment that shaped the nation’s industrial landscape for more than a century. From power plants and naval vessels to commercial buildings and manufacturing facilities, Westinghouse equipment appeared across virtually every sector of the American economy. According to asbestos litigation records, many of the company’s core product lines incorporated asbestos-containing materials throughout much of the twentieth century — exposing generations of workers to airborne asbestos fibers in the course of normal installation, operation, and maintenance activities.

Company History

Founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1886 by inventor and industrialist George Westinghouse, the company grew rapidly into a global leader in electrical engineering and industrial manufacturing. Westinghouse’s early advocacy for alternating current (AC) power transmission — in competition with Thomas Edison’s direct current systems — established the company as a foundational force in American electrification.

Throughout the twentieth century, Westinghouse expanded into nuclear power, defense contracting, broadcasting, and consumer appliances, while maintaining its core businesses in industrial power generation and heavy electrical equipment. The company’s Pittsburgh headquarters anchored an extensive network of manufacturing facilities across the United States, producing turbines, switchgear, transformers, boilers, and related industrial systems.

By the 1980s, facing financial pressures and growing asbestos litigation exposure, Westinghouse began a prolonged period of restructuring. The company’s industrial divisions were sold or reorganized over subsequent decades. The Westinghouse name itself passed through several corporate hands before the entertainment and broadcast assets were absorbed by CBS Corporation. Industrial and power generation assets were eventually acquired in part by Toshiba, which later formed Westinghouse Electric Company LLC as a nuclear services and engineering firm. Both CBS Corporation and Toshiba America Energy Systems have been named in asbestos litigation arising from legacy Westinghouse products, and plaintiffs have alleged ongoing corporate responsibility for asbestos injuries tied to original Westinghouse manufacturing operations.

Westinghouse Electric Corporation is documented as having ceased the use of asbestos in its products by approximately 1980, consistent with regulatory pressure following the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s tightened asbestos exposure standards throughout the 1970s.

Asbestos-Containing Products

According to asbestos litigation records, Westinghouse incorporated asbestos-containing materials into several major product categories during the period roughly spanning the 1940s through the late 1970s. Court filings document that asbestos was used in these products for its heat resistance, electrical insulation properties, and durability under high-temperature industrial conditions.

Steam Turbines

Plaintiffs alleged in numerous cases that Westinghouse steam turbines — used extensively in electrical power generation facilities, petrochemical plants, and industrial manufacturing operations — were manufactured with asbestos insulation applied to turbine casings, steam lines, and associated piping systems. Court filings document that workers involved in turbine installation and subsequent maintenance operations were exposed to asbestos-containing insulation materials that could become friable over time, releasing respirable fibers during disturbance.

Marine Turbines

According to asbestos litigation records, Westinghouse was a significant supplier of turbine systems to the United States Navy and commercial shipbuilding operations. Marine turbines used aboard naval vessels and merchant ships were alleged to contain asbestos insulation in quantities consistent with other heavy industrial turbine equipment of the era. Workers in shipyards, engine rooms, and aboard vessels using Westinghouse marine turbines — including machinists, pipefitters, and boiler technicians — have been among the occupational groups represented in asbestos claims involving these products.

Electrical Switchgear and Panels

Court filings document that Westinghouse electrical switchgear and distribution panels produced during the mid-twentieth century contained asbestos-containing components, including arc barriers, insulating boards, and gasket materials. Plaintiffs alleged that electricians, maintenance workers, and industrial technicians who serviced or replaced these components encountered asbestos-containing materials in the course of routine work. Asbestos was commonly used in electrical equipment of this period to prevent arc flash ignition and to insulate against heat generated during switching operations.

Industrial Boilers

According to asbestos litigation records, Westinghouse industrial boilers used in power generation and manufacturing facilities were manufactured with asbestos-containing insulation and internal sealing components. Plaintiffs have alleged that boilermakers, pipefitters, and insulation workers involved in the installation, repair, and removal of Westinghouse boiler systems were regularly exposed to asbestos fibers. Court filings document that boiler maintenance and overhaul work was among the most hazardous activities in terms of fiber release, as aged asbestos insulation deteriorated and became highly friable during disturbance.

Occupational Exposure

The breadth of Westinghouse’s industrial product lines meant that workers across a wide range of trades and industries potentially encountered asbestos-containing Westinghouse equipment. According to asbestos litigation records, the following occupational groups have been among those represented in claims involving Westinghouse products:

  • Electricians and electrical workers who installed, maintained, or replaced Westinghouse switchgear, panels, and electrical distribution equipment in commercial, industrial, and utility settings
  • Pipefitters, steamfitters, and insulators who worked on steam lines, turbine systems, and boiler installations where Westinghouse equipment was present
  • Boilermakers engaged in the installation, repair, or overhaul of Westinghouse industrial boilers
  • Shipyard workers and Navy veterans who served in engine rooms or worked on turbine systems aboard vessels equipped with Westinghouse marine turbines
  • Power plant workers who operated or maintained Westinghouse steam turbines in electrical generation facilities across the country
  • Millwrights and industrial maintenance workers employed in manufacturing plants where Westinghouse turbines, boilers, or electrical systems were in service

Court filings document that secondary exposure also occurred in some cases — workers who did not directly handle asbestos-containing Westinghouse products but worked in proximity to others performing insulation, repair, or installation work could nonetheless inhale airborne fibers released during those activities.

The latency period for asbestos-related diseases — the time between initial exposure and clinical diagnosis — typically spans 20 to 50 years. Workers exposed to Westinghouse asbestos-containing products during peak production years in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s may be receiving diagnoses of mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis today or in coming years.

Westinghouse Electric Corporation does not have a dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. Unlike some manufacturers that resolved their asbestos liabilities through Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and the creation of a Section 524(g) trust, Westinghouse and its successor companies have continued to address asbestos claims through the tort litigation system.

According to asbestos litigation records, CBS Corporation — which acquired certain Westinghouse assets and corporate liabilities — has been named as a defendant in asbestos lawsuits asserting claims arising from legacy Westinghouse products. Toshiba America Energy Systems and affiliated entities have similarly been named in litigation in connection with their acquisition of Westinghouse industrial assets. Plaintiffs have alleged that these successor corporations bear legal responsibility for injuries caused by asbestos-containing products manufactured under the Westinghouse name.

Because there is no Westinghouse-specific trust fund, individuals seeking compensation for asbestos-related illnesses linked to Westinghouse products must generally pursue claims through direct litigation against successor entities or through other liable parties — such as asbestos insulation manufacturers or contractors who specified and applied asbestos-containing materials in conjunction with Westinghouse equipment.

If you or a family member worked with or around Westinghouse steam turbines, marine turbines, electrical switchgear, or industrial boilers during the period from approximately the 1940s through 1980, and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, the following information may be relevant:

  • No dedicated trust fund exists for Westinghouse asbestos claims. Compensation is typically sought through civil litigation rather than trust fund claims processes.
  • Successor company liability is an active area of asbestos litigation. Attorneys experienced in asbestos law can assess whether CBS Corporation, Toshiba America, or other successor entities may be named as defendants based on the specific circumstances of exposure.
  • Multiple defendants are common in asbestos litigation. Workers exposed to Westinghouse equipment often also encountered asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, and packing materials manufactured by other companies — some of which do maintain active bankruptcy trusts — and claims may be pursued against those parties simultaneously.
  • Documentation of exposure through employment records, union records, military service records, or coworker testimony strengthens asbestos claims. An experienced asbestos attorney can assist in identifying and preserving relevant evidence.
  • Statutes of limitations apply to asbestos claims and are calculated differently depending on the jurisdiction and disease type. Prompt consultation with qualified legal counsel is strongly advised following any asbestos-related diagnosis.

This article is provided as a factual reference for workers, families, and legal professionals researching exposure history. It does not constitute legal advice.