Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad (TCI) — Ensley, Alabama

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that workers at the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company (TCI) Ensley Works steelmaking complex in the Birmingham district of Alabama sustained occupational asbestos exposure during decades of steelmaking operations.

Facility Background

Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, acquired by U.S. Steel Corporation in 1907, operated extensive steelmaking facilities in the Birmingham area including the Ensley Works, which produced pig iron, steel ingots, and finished steel products. The Birmingham district became one of the few locations in the world where the three essential ingredients for steel — coal, iron ore, and limestone — could be found in close proximity, making it a natural center for steel production.

Plaintiffs alleged that the Ensley Works and surrounding TCI/U.S. Steel facilities in the Birmingham district were among the major asbestos exposure sites in the Deep South, with extensive use of asbestos insulation, refractory materials, and asbestos-containing products throughout steelmaking operations from the early twentieth century through the postwar industrial era.

Alleged Asbestos Pathways

Plaintiffs alleged in litigation that asbestos exposure occurred through multiple pathways:

  • Ironmaking and blast furnace operations: Plaintiffs alleged that workers operating and maintaining blast furnaces and hot stoves encountered asbestos-containing refractory and insulation materials during repair and overhaul operations.
  • Steelmaking and casting: Plaintiffs alleged that workers in open-hearth furnace operations, basic oxygen furnace work, and continuous casting areas encountered asbestos-containing furnace linings, protective clothing, and insulation materials.
  • Steam and utility systems: Plaintiffs alleged that the extensive steam generating and distribution systems serving the Birmingham district steelworks used asbestos pipe covering, boiler insulation, and refractory throughout.
  • Rolling and finishing mills: Plaintiffs alleged that maintenance workers and millwrights encountered asbestos insulation and gasket materials throughout the rolling mill operations.

Alabama has a two-year statute of limitations under Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l), running from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis under the discovery rule. Wrongful death claims carry a two-year limit under Ala. Code § 6-5-410.

Workers who were employed at TCI / U.S. Steel Ensley Works and who have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease may have legal remedies available. Contact O’Brien Law Firm at (314) 237-3332 to discuss your work history and legal options at no cost.