General Electric — Appliance Park in Louisville KY

Plaintiffs allegedly, in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation, were exposed to asbestos while working at the General Electric Appliance Park manufacturing complex in Louisville KY. This page documents the Louisville portion of GE’s multi-state industrial footprint. For the full corporate summary and other GE plants, see the General Electric manufacturer page.

Plant Description and Operating Era

GE Appliance Park in Louisville KY opened in 1953 as the world’s largest appliance-manufacturing complex — over 900 acres, six major manufacturing buildings, and a peak workforce exceeding 23,000. The site produced refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, washers/dryers, and other GE major appliances for over sixty years. GE Appliances was sold to Haier in 2016; the complex continues to operate as GE Appliances (a Haier company).

Premises ACM Narrative

Plaintiffs allegedly, in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation, alleged that during the U.S. asbestos era (approximately 1930s-1980) the GE Appliance Park plant allegedly involved asbestos-containing materials across the following pathways:

  • Asbestos pipe covering on steam mains, process piping, and utility lines throughout the manufacturing bays and powerhouse
  • Asbestos-block hot-side lagging on porcelain-enamel firing ovens, paint-cure ovens, and process heaters
  • Asbestos-fabric arc chute plates in plant switchgear, motor control centers, and load contactors
  • Asbestos sheet gaskets at process piping, boiler, and heat exchanger flanges
  • Asbestos-cement roofing and asbestos-fabric roof insulation on manufacturing bays and warehouses
  • Asbestos sprayed fireproofing on structural steel columns and floor decking (pre-1973 EPA ban)
  • Asbestos-fabric electrical winding insulation on GE-manufactured appliance motors and controls during production, testing, and rework
  • Asbestos insulation in oven-range cavity liners, cooktop under-panels, and dishwasher steam-generation components handled during production

Workers Exposed

Plaintiffs allegedly alleged that trade workers at the GE Appliance Park plant during the asbestos era included:

  • HFIAW Insulators — asbestos pipe covering and block insulation on steam and process lines
  • UA Pipefitters — flange bolt-up and gasket work on process piping
  • IBB Boilermakers — powerhouse boiler and enamel-firing-oven refractory work
  • IBEW Electricians — plant switchgear, motor-control center, and rewind-shop work
  • BAC Bricklayers — refractory relining on manufacturing and enamel-firing furnaces
  • IUE / GE Salaried and hourly production workers — appliance assembly line, testing, rework
  • Millwrights — machine tool installation and heavy manufacturing equipment work

If You Worked at GE Appliance Park

If you or a family member worked at the GE Appliance Park plant in Louisville KY — or any other GE manufacturing site — before 1980 and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim.

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