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How Can a Drill Press Operator Get Mesothelioma by Occupational Exposure to Asbestos?
Drill press operators sets up, operates and tends drilling machines in order to drill, bore, mill, ream or countersink metal or plastic pieces. These workers help to construct various products, including shelving units, trampoline supports and automotive parts, among many others. These workers pre-drill holes where other fastening pieces will be placed, such as bolts and rods.
Drill press operators often work with metal objects. Many of these objects might have contained asbestos. When the drill press operator drilled a hole in the product, the asbestos within the product would become dislodged. The fibers would quickly become airborne after drill press operators created holes in the products contaminated with asbestos. The operator could then breathe in asbestos dust and fibers that could eventually lead to asbestos-related diseases.
Typical job duties of a drill press operator include:
- Lifts workpiece manually or with a hoist and places it in a secure position in the workplace
- Manually move machine controls to feed tools into the product that they are working with
- Engages automatic feed
- Lays out reference lines
- Operates single-spindle or multi-spindle drill presses
- Uses bolts, clamps, shims or other holding devices to secure workpiece to work table
- Inspects products to ensure that holes have been placed in the proper location
- Observes drilling press to detect any problems
- Directs flow of coolants or cutting oil over the areas to be cut
- Uses handheld tools and power tools
- Adjusts speeds, feed rates and depth of cut, as necessary
- Sharpens cutting tools, as necessary
- Operates tracing attachments to duplicate contours from models or templates
- Performs minor assembly
Locations in the United States for the Highest Employment Rates for Drill Press Operators
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 11,030 people currently employed in the category “Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic” category of workers States with the highest employment level for this classification include:
- California
- Michigan
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Texas
Similar Occupations as Drill Press Operators
Similar occupations as drill press operators include:
- Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators and tenders
- Machine tool setters, operators and tenders
- Milling and turning machine tool setters, operators and tenders
- Machinists
- Press machine setters, operators and tenders
Lawsuits and Settlements Involving Drill Press Operators and Mesothelioma
While there are not many cases involving drill press operators that have been made public, drill press operators who were exposed to asbestos may be able to file a claim with a trust set up by the manufacturers of asbestos products or file a lawsuit in court. If the case is settled, the receipt of settlement funds is often contingent on not disclosing the amount of the settlement and the company failing to acknowledge responsibility, so these agreements are kept private.
Studies Related to Drill Press Operators and Asbestos
There are no known studies related to drill press operators specifically and their exposure to asbestos. However, there have been studies conducted on workers in metal product factories and other factory workers. For example, a British Medical Journal study published in 2015 explored the data concerning asbestos-related deaths in Belgian workers that occurred between 2001 and 2009. Researchers found that metal product factory workers were 87% more likely to die of mesothelioma, compared to the general population.
Another study assessed date regarding factory workers at a Raybestos Manhattan plant who manufactured various friction parts that contained asbestos. The data revealed that seven cases of mesothelioma arose due to occupational exposure.
A study regarding workers at an auto part factory who drilled, grinded and riveted the auto parts revealed that these workers had significantly higher mortality rates related to lung and laryngeal cancer, compared to the general population. The workers often came in contact with asbestos that was used to create drum brakes and linings.
Factory workers who manufactured wartime gas masks also suffered an increased incidence of mesothelioma and bronchial carcinoma, according to another study.
Types of Asbestos Products Used by Drill Press Operators
Drill press operators may have worked with products that contained asbestos, such as:
- Metal sheets
- Metal tools
- Paint
- Texture and spray-on coatings
Every major industry uses drill press operators, and thousands of products once contained asbestos.
Additionally, drill press operators often worked in factories and other industrial settings where asbestos was used to help construct the building or protect the equipment. These workers could have breathed in asbestos fibers emanating from:
- Flooring
- Wall insulation
- Pained surfaces
- Ceiling materials
- Roofing materials
- Boilers
- Gaskets and valves
Manufacturers of Asbestos Products Used by Drill Press Operators
Some of the most notable asbestos manufacturers that may have been responsible for exposing drill press operators to asbestos include:
- BF Goodrich
- Honeywell
- Johns Manville
- Pneumo Abex
- Raybestos
- Turner & Newall
