Premises Description

The Dow Chemical Company (founded 1897, headquartered Midland, Michigan; today operating as Dow Inc.) was through the 20th century one of the largest U.S. petrochemical and specialty chemical manufacturers. Dow operated major U.S. asbestos-era manufacturing complexes at:

  • Midland MI — the historic corporate headquarters and original specialty-chemicals complex
  • Freeport TX — Dow Texas Operations, one of the largest petrochemical complexes in the world
  • Plaquemine LA — Dow Louisiana Operations, major chlor-alkali and ethylene production
  • Pittsburg CA — West Coast specialty chemicals
  • Carrollton KY, Hahnville LA, Russellville AR, and numerous specialty sites

Each of Dow’s major complexes operated continuously through the asbestos era with extensive asbestos-containing materials specified across process units, utility systems, and plant infrastructure.

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that Dow Chemical — as premises owner of its U.S. petrochemical and specialty chemical complexes — exposed contractor pipefitters, insulators, boilermakers, and trade workers, as well as Dow’s own operating and maintenance employees, to asbestos through:

  • Asbestos pipe covering on miles of plant steam mains, hot-oil lines, and process piping
  • Asbestos refractory and block insulation on process heaters, furnaces, and reformers
  • Asbestos gaskets and packing at process flanges, manways, and pump and valve seals
  • Spray-applied asbestos fireproofing on plant structural steel
  • Asbestos ceiling and partition board in plant control rooms, office buildings, and lab facilities

Dow Chemical Company has been named as a Premises Defendant in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation.

Workers Exposed

  • Refinery and petrochemical pipefitters (UA Local members) working Dow turnarounds and capital projects
  • Insulators (HFIAW Local members) on Dow construction crews
  • Boilermakers (IBB Local members) building Dow process units
  • Dow’s own operating and maintenance workforce (USW Local representation)
  • Construction-trade workforces on Dow EPC projects (Brown & Root, Fluor, Bechtel-built Dow units)

If You Worked at a Dow Chemical Complex

If you worked at a Dow Chemical Company petrochemical or specialty chemical complex during the asbestos era — at Midland MI, Freeport TX, Plaquemine LA, Pittsburg CA, or any other Dow facility — as a Dow employee or as a dispatched contractor pipefitter, insulator, boilermaker, or trade worker — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness, you may have legal rights.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956