Electrical Switchgear with Asbestos Arc Barriers — General Electric

Product Description

Electrical switchgear refers to a broad category of electrical control and protection equipment used to route, isolate, and interrupt electrical current in industrial and commercial power distribution systems. General Electric was among the dominant manufacturers of switchgear in the United States throughout much of the twentieth century, producing equipment deployed across power generation facilities, industrial manufacturing plants, shipyards, refineries, steel mills, and other heavy-industry settings.

Switchgear assemblies produced by General Electric during this era commonly included circuit breakers, disconnect switches, bus bars, protective relays, and associated enclosure components. These assemblies were engineered to handle high-voltage and high-current electrical loads, making arc suppression a critical design requirement. When electrical current is interrupted under load, it generates an arc — a burst of intense heat and plasma — that must be contained or extinguished to prevent equipment damage, fires, and electrical faults.

To address this engineering requirement, manufacturers including General Electric incorporated asbestos-containing arc barriers, arc chutes, and insulating panels into their switchgear designs. Asbestos was selected for this application because of its well-documented resistance to extreme heat, its electrical non-conductivity, and its durability in high-temperature environments. The material was considered an effective and cost-efficient solution for arc containment at a time when its health hazards were not disclosed to workers or the general public.

This equipment was installed in a wide range of industrial environments — including power plants, turbine halls, boiler rooms, and manufacturing facilities — where it often remained in service for decades, meaning workers encountered this equipment long after its original installation date.

Asbestos Content

Arc barriers and arc chutes in General Electric switchgear were manufactured using asbestos-containing materials designed to withstand the thermal and electrical stresses generated during circuit interruption. These components typically incorporated asbestos in composite board, molded insulating panels, or layered barrier assemblies positioned within the arc path of the breaker mechanism.

Beyond the arc suppression components themselves, asbestos-containing materials were also used elsewhere within switchgear assemblies and their surrounding infrastructure. Gaskets, insulating wraps, panel linings, and thermal barriers associated with switchgear installations could contain asbestos. The enclosures and mounting structures housing switchgear panels were frequently installed alongside or in direct contact with asbestos-containing pipe insulation, fireproofing compounds, and thermal lagging, meaning that disturbance of any of these components could release asbestos fibers into the work environment.

Litigation records document that plaintiffs identified asbestos-containing arc barriers and internal insulating components as specific sources of fiber release during routine maintenance and repair activities performed on General Electric switchgear throughout the mid-to-late twentieth century.

How Workers Were Exposed

Workers across numerous industrial trades and job classifications encountered General Electric switchgear with asbestos arc barriers, with exposure occurring in multiple ways depending on the nature of the work performed.

Installation and initial setup involved electricians and construction workers handling switchgear components during installation. Cutting, drilling, or fitting arc barrier panels to accommodate wiring runs or fit specific enclosure dimensions could release asbestos fibers. Workers rarely used respiratory protection during this period, as the hazard was not communicated to them by manufacturers or employers.

Routine maintenance and testing required workers to open switchgear enclosures, inspect and test circuit breakers, and examine arc chutes for wear or damage. Litigation records document that this type of periodic maintenance work brought electricians and industrial maintenance workers into direct contact with deteriorating asbestos arc barriers. Over time, repeated arc events caused physical degradation of arc chute components, generating asbestos-containing dust that accumulated inside enclosures and was released when panels were opened.

Repair and component replacement involved the removal and handling of worn arc barriers, arc chutes, and insulating panels. Plaintiffs alleged that removing these components — particularly in older equipment that had been in service for extended periods — generated significant quantities of airborne asbestos dust. Replacement parts were also sometimes cut or shaped on-site to fit aging equipment, a task that plaintiffs alleged released concentrated fiber levels.

Nearby and bystander exposure affected workers who were not directly performing electrical work but were present in the same spaces. In power plants, turbine halls, and industrial facilities, workers from multiple trades often occupied the same work areas. Electricians working on switchgear could expose pipefitters, boilermakers, laborers, and other industrial workers in adjacent spaces to airborne fibers released during their work.

Decommissioning and removal of aging switchgear presented additional exposure risks. Workers removing equipment that had been in service for decades encountered both the original asbestos arc barriers and accumulated asbestos dust that had settled within enclosures over years of operation.

General Electric was a major supplier of switchgear to the U.S. Navy, and litigation records document that naval personnel — including machinery technicians, electricians, and shipyard workers — were exposed to asbestos-containing GE switchgear aboard vessels and in shipyard repair facilities.

Plaintiffs alleged that General Electric had knowledge of the health hazards associated with asbestos use in its electrical products but failed to warn workers, customers, or the public, and failed to substitute safer alternative materials or designs.

General Electric’s asbestos-containing electrical products, including switchgear with asbestos arc barriers, have been the subject of extensive personal injury litigation. General Electric has not established a dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund; unlike manufacturers that resolved their asbestos liability through Chapter 11 reorganization, General Electric has addressed asbestos claims through the civil court system and negotiated settlements.

Litigation pathway: Individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or other asbestos-related diseases who worked with or around General Electric switchgear may pursue claims in civil court. Litigation records document that plaintiffs have alleged product liability, negligence, and failure to warn against General Electric in connection with asbestos-containing electrical equipment. Claims may proceed in state or federal court depending on jurisdiction, plaintiff history, and case specifics.

Multi-defendant claims: Because industrial workers were typically exposed to asbestos-containing products from multiple manufacturers across multiple job sites, asbestos claims often name numerous defendants. Workers who encountered GE switchgear may also have been exposed to products from manufacturers that did establish asbestos bankruptcy trusts, potentially allowing parallel claims against both litigation defendants and trust funds.

Eligibility considerations: Claims involving General Electric switchgear require documented work history establishing exposure to the specific equipment, supported by employment records, witness testimony, union records, military service documentation, or other evidence placing the claimant at a worksite where GE switchgear was in use.

Individuals diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease who have a work history in electrical trades, power generation, industrial manufacturing, shipyards, or related fields should consult with an asbestos litigation attorney to evaluate their exposure history and legal options.