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Asbestos and Chevrolet Buffalo

As Chevrolet Buffalo was in the business of building axles for automobiles and trucks, workers were exposed to asbestos used as a component part of the axles manufactured at this plant. Asbestos was also used to insulate sections of the plant, and it was also used in building materials that housed the equipment the plant produced. In the manufacture of rear axles, workers fit asbestos containing brake shoes onto brake assemblies. The brake linings, pads and shoes used at the Chevrolet Buffalo facility arrived in bulk, open containers laden with residual asbestos dust from the original manufacturer. Airborne asbestos dust was generated when the brakes were unloaded and handled. Dust was especially significant when the linings were ground to size on the premises. As the brakes were typically made of between 50 to 75% chrysotile asbestos, the work was extremely hazardous.

In addition to the asbestos in the brake linings used in the assembly process, workers at Chevrolet Buffalo were exposed to asbestos used as an insulating material on high temperature piping and machinery. Those who worked in the Chevrolet Buffalo plants were constantly exposed to asbestos dust from working with and in the vicinity of men who repaired and maintained asbestos insulation on pipes, tanks, ducts, heat treat equipment and boilers. Construction, repair and maintenance work was performed by both Chevrolet-Buffalo employees and by outside contractors hired by General Motors. In addition to exterior asbestos insulation, Chevrolet had a vast network of pipes and piping systems which included a wide array of pumps and valves. In the initial assembly and maintenance of this system, asbestos-containing gaskets and rope asbestos packing were widely used. This ultimately caused the airborne release of asbestos when the materials were cut during new installation or when they were removed by scraping, grinding or wire brushing.

The attorneys at Lipsitz & Ponterio, LLC have gathered a vast amount of information concerning the type and variety of asbestos-containing products used at Chevrolet Buffalo and the other General Motors Plants located in Western New York, including the Chevrolet Foundry, Chevrolet Forge, Chevrolet Engine Plants and the Harrison Radiator Plants located in both Buffalo and Lockport, New York. Our clients understand the importance of securing legal representation as soon as possible after a diagnosis of mesothelioma or lung cancer. If you or a loved one were once employed at any of these manufacturing plants and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, we urge you to contact us regarding your legal rights.