Johnson & Johnson — Plants in New Jersey

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that they were exposed to asbestos while working at Johnson & Johnson plants in New Jersey. This page documents the New Jersey portion of Johnson & Johnson’s multi-state operations. For the full corporate summary and plants in other states, see the Johnson & Johnson manufacturer page.

Premises Description

Johnson & Johnson has been named as a premises defendant in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation for alleged asbestos exposure across its national pharmaceutical, medical-device, and consumer-products manufacturing network — including the New Brunswick NJ headquarters and consumer-products manufacturing campus, the Raritan NJ Ortho-McNeil and Ortho Pharmaceutical plant, the Somerville NJ campus, the Skillman NJ baby-products and R&D campus, the Ethicon suture plants (Somerville NJ / San Angelo TX), the Cordis medical-device operations, the Sherman TX plant, and other J&J and legacy McNeil, Ortho, Ethicon, and Janssen sites. This premises exposure is distinct from Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder talc product liability, which is covered on its own AP page.

J&J pharmaceutical and consumer-products plants are heavy industrial premises: pharmaceutical fermentation and API-synthesis halls, sterile-fill and injectable suites, suture manufacturing and sterilization halls, bandage and gauze production lines, baby-products blending and packaging halls, powerhouse steam plants, and refrigeration systems. Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that pre-1980 J&J plant premises involved asbestos through:

  • Asbestos pipe covering on pharmaceutical and consumer-products steam mains, sterilizer feeds, and process piping
  • Asbestos sheet gaskets at reactor, autoclave, mixer, and process-piping flanges
  • Asbestos block and cork insulation on pharmaceutical and biologics refrigeration equipment
  • Asbestos rope packing on J&J pumps, valves, centrifuges, and mixers
  • Asbestos refractory and gaskets at J&J powerhouse boilers and product dryer ovens
  • Asbestos sprayed fireproofing on structural steel in multi-story New Brunswick, Raritan, and Somerville halls
  • Asbestos millboard, arc chutes, and panel materials in plant switchgear
  • Asbestos in older sterile-suite ceiling assemblies, cleanroom construction, and lab bench tops

Workers Exposed

Plaintiffs allegedly worked at Johnson & Johnson New Brunswick NJ, Raritan NJ, Somerville NJ, Skillman NJ, Sherman TX, San Angelo TX, and other J&J pharmaceutical, medical-device, and consumer-products plants in trades including:

  • Insulators (HFIAW) applying and removing asbestos pipe covering and block on steam and process lines
  • Pipefitters (UA) breaking asbestos-gasketed flanges on reactors, sterilizers, autoclaves, and process piping
  • Boilermakers servicing asbestos-refractory-lined powerhouse boilers
  • Millwrights rebuilding pharmaceutical and consumer-products pumps, centrifuges, and packaging machines
  • Refrigeration mechanics working on cork-insulated pharmaceutical and biologics cold-chain equipment
  • Electricians and IBEW workers on plant switchgear and motor-control centers
  • Sheet metal workers (SMART) on HVAC and cleanroom duct systems
  • J&J operators, chemists, and maintenance personnel around asbestos-fireproofed manufacturing halls

If You Worked at Johnson & Johnson

If you or a family member worked at a Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical, medical-device, or consumer-products manufacturing plant — New Brunswick NJ, Raritan NJ, Somerville NJ, Skillman NJ, Sherman TX, San Angelo TX, or any other J&J, Ethicon, Ortho-McNeil, or Janssen-legacy facility — 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