Mesothelioma & Asbestos Exposure in Nebraska

Common Sources of Asbestos Exposure in Nebraska

Asbestos was embedded in Nebraska's industrial infrastructure for decades. The following categories represent the most significant sources of occupational asbestos exposure across the state.

Meatpacking & Food Processing Plants

Nebraska is one of the leading meatpacking states in the country, and the industry's facilities relied heavily on asbestos-containing materials. Meatpacking plants require extreme temperature management — from boiler-generated steam for processing to industrial refrigeration for cold storage. Asbestos was used in boiler insulation, refrigeration system insulation, pipe coverings, and throughout plant infrastructure. Workers in these facilities were exposed to asbestos during daily operations and maintenance activities.

• ConAgra Foods (Omaha) — Major food processing operations with asbestos in boiler systems, refrigeration insulation, and plant infrastructure
• IBP/Tyson Fresh Meats — Meatpacking facilities across Nebraska with asbestos in processing equipment and cold storage insulation
• Swift & Company (Omaha) — Historic meatpacking operations with decades of asbestos use in plant equipment and insulation
• Greater Omaha Packing Company — Processing facility with asbestos in boilers, pipes, and refrigeration systems
• Grand Island meatpacking plants — Multiple facilities in Grand Island used asbestos insulation in processing and cold storage operations

Railroad Facilities

Union Pacific Railroad, headquartered in Omaha, is one of the largest railroad companies in North America. The company's maintenance shops, rail yards, and facilities across Nebraska used asbestos extensively in locomotive components, rail car insulation, brake shoes, gaskets, and building materials. Railroad workers were exposed to asbestos during routine maintenance, locomotive overhauls, and brake repair operations.

• Union Pacific Railroad (Omaha HQ & shops) — Corporate headquarters and extensive maintenance facilities with asbestos in locomotive components, shop insulation, and building materials
• Union Pacific Bailey Yard (North Platte) — The world's largest railroad classification yard; asbestos in rail car maintenance and repair operations
• Burlington Northern Santa Fe (various) — Railroad maintenance facilities across Nebraska with asbestos in rolling stock and shop equipment

Power Plants

Coal-fired and gas-fired power plants across Nebraska used asbestos insulation on boilers, turbines, steam pipes, and electrical components. The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) and Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) operated generating stations where maintenance workers, boiler operators, and electricians faced regular asbestos exposure.

• OPPD North Omaha Station — Coal-fired power plant with asbestos in boiler insulation, turbine casings, and pipe lagging
• OPPD Nebraska City Station — Generating facility with asbestos in high-temperature equipment and building insulation
• NPPD Gerald Gentleman Station (Sutherland) — Major coal-fired plant with asbestos-containing materials in operations equipment

Military Installations

Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue, Nebraska served as the headquarters of Strategic Air Command from 1948 to 1992. The base's buildings, hangars, maintenance facilities, and underground command center were constructed with asbestos-containing materials. Military personnel who served at Offutt were exposed to asbestos in base infrastructure and aircraft maintenance operations.

• Offutt Air Force Base — SAC headquarters with asbestos in buildings, hangars, maintenance shops, and underground facilities

This is not an exhaustive list. Additional industrial facilities, schools, and commercial buildings across Nebraska used asbestos-containing materials. If you worked at any meatpacking plant, railroad facility, power plant, or military installation in Nebraska before the mid-1980s, asbestos exposure is likely. Our attorneys maintain detailed databases of Nebraska exposure sites and can investigate your specific work history as part of a free case evaluation.

Types of Mesothelioma Diagnosed in Nebraska

Mesothelioma develops when inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers become embedded in the lining of internal organs, causing cellular damage that leads to malignant tumor growth over decades. Nebraska's industrial exposure profile produces patterns of mesothelioma diagnosis that reflect the types and duration of asbestos contact that railroad, meatpacking, and power plant workers experienced.

Pleural Mesothelioma (Lungs)

Pleural mesothelioma accounts for approximately 75 to 80 percent of all mesothelioma diagnoses and is the most common form seen in Nebraska patients. This type develops in the pleura — the thin membrane surrounding the lungs — when inhaled asbestos fibers migrate to the pleural lining and cause chronic inflammation and eventual malignancy. Nebraska railroad workers, meatpacking plant maintenance crews, and power plant operators who inhaled asbestos dust are at the highest risk. Symptoms typically include persistent chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss, and fluid buildup around the lungs (pleural effusion).

Early detection significantly affects treatment options and prognosis. If you worked in a Nebraska railroad facility, meatpacking plant, power plant, or military installation and are experiencing respiratory symptoms, inform your physician about your occupational asbestos exposure history. Visit our diagnosis and treatment page for more information.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma (Abdomen)

Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the peritoneum — the lining of the abdominal cavity — and accounts for approximately 15 to 20 percent of mesothelioma diagnoses. Asbestos fibers can reach the peritoneum through ingestion or through the lymphatic system. Symptoms include abdominal pain and swelling, unexplained weight loss, bowel changes, and fluid accumulation in the abdomen.

Treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma has advanced significantly, with cytoreductive surgery combined with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) showing improved survival rates. Regardless of the type diagnosed, the same legal options — personal injury lawsuits, asbestos trust fund claims, and VA benefits for veterans — are available to Nebraska patients and their families.

Mesothelioma Treatment Centers in Nebraska

While Nebraska does not currently have NCI-designated mesothelioma specialty centers, patients have access to the nation’s top treatment programs. Many of these leading cancer centers accept out-of-state patients and can coordinate care with local oncologists. Below are nationally recognized mesothelioma treatment centers that serve patients from Nebraska and across the country.

Family Members Exposed to Asbestos in Nebraska

Asbestos exposure in Nebraska did not stop at the factory gate or the rail yard fence. For decades, workers carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin, hair, and personal items — unknowingly exposing their families to the same deadly material they encountered at work. This pattern, known as secondary or take-home exposure, has been documented in Nebraska's industrial communities and has led to mesothelioma diagnoses in people who never set foot in a railroad shop or meatpacking plant.

How Secondary Exposure Occurred

Nebraska railroad workers, meatpacking plant maintenance crews, and power plant employees typically arrived home covered in dust that included asbestos fibers. Before the dangers were widely understood, spouses — most often wives — shook out, brushed off, and laundered contaminated work clothes at home. This released asbestos fibers into the household air, where family members inhaled them. Children who greeted parents at the door, sat in their laps, or played near contaminated clothing were also exposed.

Legal Rights of Nebraska Families

Nebraska courts recognize secondary asbestos exposure as a valid basis for mesothelioma claims. Family members who developed mesothelioma from take-home asbestos exposure have the same legal right to pursue compensation as the workers themselves. These claims can be filed against the companies that manufactured the asbestos products, the employers who failed to prevent fibers from leaving the workplace, and the asbestos trust funds established through bankruptcy proceedings.

If a spouse, child, or other family member of a Nebraska worker has been diagnosed with mesothelioma and never worked directly with asbestos, secondary exposure should be investigated. Our attorneys have handled numerous secondary exposure cases and understand the specific evidence required to establish these claims.

Support Groups & Resources for Nebraska Families

A mesothelioma diagnosis affects the entire family. These organizations provide support, education, counseling, and practical assistance for patients and caregivers.

National Organizations

Nebraska Resources