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How a Shade Tree Mechanic Can Get Mesothelioma by Occupational Exposure to Asbestos
Shade tree mechanics inspect, maintain and repair automobiles. What differentiates them from other types of mechanics is where they work, which is usually at home in a garage or driveway or under a tree. They often work with minimal equipment and supplies. Often, shade tree mechanics are retired mechanics or work part-time on repairing vehicles while maintaining a different normal job.
Because shade tree mechanics often work in small, confined spaces instead of commercial settings that have been properly ventilated for this purpose, they may have breathed in asbestos fibers that circulated in these spaces that came off of friction or other automotive parts that they repaired or replaced.
Common job duties of shade tree mechanics include:
- Inspect vehicles to determine mechanical, electrical or fuel system problems
- Use hand tools to make inspections and repairs and test engine performance
- Test and inspect engines for malfunctioning parts
- Perform tests on parts and systems to ensure they work properly
- Adjust components according to specifications
- Repair or replace worn parts, including brake pads, sensors and wheel bearings
- Perform basic care and maintenance on vehicles, including rotating tires, replacing spark plugs, lubricating parts, and changing oil and checking fluid levels
Locations in the United States with the Highest Employment Rates for Shade Tree Mechanics
While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report specifically on the number of shade tree mechanics, it reports that there are currently 770.100 workers employed in the job category of “automotive service technicians and mechanics.” States with the highest employment rates for mechanics include:
- California
- Texas
- Florida
- New York
- Pennsylvania
Similar Occupations as Shade Tree Mechanics
Some occupations that have similarities to the job duties of shade tree mechanics include:
- Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians
- Automotive body and glass repairers
- Diesel service technicians and mechanics
- Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians
- Small engine mechanics
Lawsuits and Settlements Involving Mechanics
There have been several lawsuits filed by mechanics due to being exposed to asbestos. Many of these lawsuits were filed against Ford Motor Co., especially related to their brake parts. When repairing or replacing brakes, the linings are often grounded and sanded, which can cause asbestos fibers and dust to enter the air. Experts estimate that these brake linings contained 40 to 60% asbestos fibers. Some of the cases filed against Ford Motor Co. include:
- In a landmark 1996 case, two widows were awarded more than $14 million due to asbestos exposure from brake linings that their late husbands came in contact with. The two decedents worked as mechanics between 1948 to 1952 and 1957 to 1992. They both died of mesothelioma.
- A former mechanic who worked directly for Ford Motor Co. mechanic and his wife sued the auto manufacturer, alleging that he was exposed to asbestos when handling automotive parts. In 2019, a Missouri jury handed down a verdict of $8.4 million to the pair after they found the company responsible for the man’s mesothelioma.
- An Alameda County jury in California in 2012 returned a verdict of $6.825 million against Ford Motor Co. in favor of a 69-year-old career mechanic who often handled brakes, clutches, gaskets and other asbestos-containing parts made by the manufacturer. The verdict included $1.2 million in compensatory damages, $5 million for his non-economic damages and $600,000 for his wife’s loss of support and companionship.
- In 2019, an L.A. jury awarded $34 million to a mechanic against Ford Motor Co, which included $8.5 million in compensatory damages and $25.5 million in punitive damages after the yfound that the company acted with fraud, oppression and malice.
- In 2015, a Tennessee jury found the company 71% liable for a woman’s secondhand asbestos exposure caused by her husband’s exposure to asbestos brakes made by the company that occurred while he was working as a mechanic. She and her husband were awarded $4.6 million.
- In April 2019, a St. Louis jury found Ford not guilty in the death of a shade tree mechanic who died of mesothelioma. He had used asbestos-containing brake components while replacing brakes from 1978 to 1983.
Studies Related to Mechanics and Asbestos
A Seattle Post-Intelligencer report found that approximately 10% of mechanics are at risk for developing an asbestos-related cancer due to asbestos fibers and dust that accumulate during brake work.
Types of Asbestos Products Used by Shade Tree Mechanics
Shade tree mechanics may have come into contact with various automotive parts that contained asbestos, including the following:
- Brakes
- Hoodliners
- Clutches
- Gaskets
- Heat seals
- Valve rings
- Packing
Because shade tree mechanics may not have been formally educated on automotive hazards, so they may not have used the best methods of protecting themselves from asbestos hazards, such as using wet cleaning or a HEPA vacuum system. Instead, they may have used other methods that simply pushed around these dangerous fibers, such as using a water hose, solvent sprays or compressed air to clean drum brakes or remove dust. Additionally, they may have wiped parts with a dry rug or brushed dust off the assembly where it was still able to be breathed in.
Manufacturers of Asbestos Products Used by Shade Tree Mechanics
Shade tree mechanics may have been exposed to asbestos-containing products made or used by the following:
- Advance Auto Parts
- Austin Auto Parts, Inc.
- AutoZone
- Bendix
- Canton Auto Parts, Inc.
- Caterpillar
- Daimler Chrysler
- Federal Mogul
- Fisher Auto Parts Company, Inc.
- Ford Motor Co.
- Forest City Auto Parts Company, Inc.
- General Motors, Inc.
- Genuine Parts Company
- Globe Foreign Auto Parts, Inc.
- G&T Auto Parts of Mid Orange, Inc.
- LAS Replacement Parts, Inc.
- L M Scanlon, Inc.
- O’Reilly Automotive, Inc.
- Pep Boys
- Pneumo Abex, LLC
- Potsdam Auto Parts, Inc.
- Raymark Industries
- Ren Auto Parts
