On September 17, 2008, a long-time Sandia
National Laboratory craftsperson (employed since 1971) died
of Mesothelioma from long-term asbestos exposure. The worker
was diagnosed with pneumonia in January 2008, and six months
later was diagnosed with Mesothelioma by his personal physician.
Over the span of his employment at Sandia, the worker had
been a millwright whose duties included laying out, constructing,
modifying, overhauling, repairing, and maintaining all types
of facility structures; and erecting, dismantling, aligning,
leveling, moving, or installing machine tools, process equipment,
test equipment, and similar or associated items and structural
devices. He had taken Facility Worker Asbestos Awareness training
in 1990 and the required annual Asbestos Awareness training
from 1996 through January 2008. Based on the worker’s
work history and experience, his exposure could have occurred
at a variety of locations.
