Chicago Heights Steel
Located in the Chicago suburb of the same name, Chicago Heights Steel is the only specialty steel mill in the United States to roll billet and rail steel. Rail steel, made by hot-rolling the steel from railroad rails, is lighter and has more strength than other kinds of steel and is used not only in the railroad industry but in building construction, agriculture, and even lawn and garden products for the home.
Asbestos is a very common substance in steel plants due to its effective heat- and fire-resistant qualities. Asbestos is used in furnaces, boilers, steam pipes, and other equipment. The very clothes that workers wore on the job were made of asbestos, including their pants, gloves, hats, aprons, and leggings. Workers may also have handled asbestos blankets and cloths during their daily activities on the job. Workers in the steel industry were very vulnerable to asbestos exposure and the diseases it causes, such as mesothelioma.
To the surprise of many people, asbestos is actually a natural substance, and is mined in a number of places around the world. Asbestos is favored for many uses because of its strength, flexibility, low electrical conductance, and its resistance to heat and fire.
Its earliest recorded industrial use dates back to 1828, when it was used to line steam engines. For many years, asbestos was also used in automobile brakes, common floor tiles, surgical thread, and even toothpaste!
Asbestos continues to be used for industrial purposes and is still mined in Canada, Africa and in some former Soviet Republics. Many industrial countries ban its new use, but it still remains in many older buildings, ships, factories, and schools.
Usually, asbestos is not dangerous as long as it remains where it is installed. When it is disturbed or damaged by repairs or renovations, the fibers become airborne, where anyone not wearing the proper safety equipment can inhale them into their lungs. This can lead to diseases such as mesothelioma.
Last modified: December 12 2007.
