Former Specialty Records, WEA Manufacturing, Cinram, and Technicolor Workers May Have Legal Options
Munley Law is currently investigating cases involving former employees of the Olyphant manufacturing facility, known over the years as Specialty Records, WEA Manufacturing, Cinram, and Technicolor, who developed cancer or other serious illnesses following their time working at the plant.
Former employees of the manufacturing facility owned by Specialty Records, WEA Manufacturing, Cinram, and Technicolor have reported extremely high rates of cancer, serious illness, and premature death among their ranks. Community advocates have confirmed more than 200 former workers have died from cancer, along with nearly 100 cancer survivors. Pennsylvania’s Department of Health is now investigating the data, and members of Congress have called for a full investigation.
If this affects you or your family, contact us today for a free consultation.
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Call Us At 844-686-5397 The History of the Olyphant Manufacturing Plant
The Olyphant facility had been a cornerstone of Lackawanna County’s economy for decades before the health concerns now facing its former workers began to emerge. Originally founded as Specialty Records, the plant was acquired by Warner Communications in 1978 and rebranded as WEA Manufacturing, named for the trio of labels it served: Warner, Elektra, and Atlantic.
The plant expanded into CD manufacturing in 1986 and DVD production in the mid-1990s, becoming one of the largest manufacturers of recorded media in the world. At its peak in the early 2000s, the facility employed over 2,300 people and was Lackawanna County’s largest employer.
Cinram International purchased WEA in October 2003, but lost its major distribution contract with Warner in 2010, sought bankruptcy protection in 2012, and was purchased by Paris-based Technicolor in 2015. By the time Technicolor closed the plant in 2018, fewer than 200 employees remained. The facility was demolished in 2020.
Over its decades of operation, tens of thousands of residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania worked at this plant in some capacity.
What Chemicals Were Workers Exposed To?
The production of vinyl records, cassette tapes, CDs, and DVDs required a range of industrial chemicals. Former employees have reported working with these substances — often without adequate protective equipment — across decades of employment. According to former U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright’s letter to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health, these chemicals were used in “relatively liberal and incautious” ways.
Substances identified by former workers include:
- Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Benzene
- Cyanide
- Methanol
- Nickel sulfamate
- Sulfuric acid
- Boric acid
- Ammonium hydroxide
- Methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)
- Titanium acetylacetonate (TAA)
- Black lacquer and positive photoresists
Prolonged occupational exposure to these chemicals has been linked to elevated cancer risk in numerous scientific and epidemiological studies. Workers allege that this exposure, in some cases spanning decades, occurred with little to no personal protective equipment and without adequate safety protocols.
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What Illnesses Have Been Reported By WEA Manufacturing Employees?
Former employees and their families have reported a wide range of serious cancer diagnoses, including:
- mesothelioma
- leukemia
- lymphoma
- pancreatic cancer
- brain cancer
- kidney cancer
- prostate cancer
- thyroid cancer
- melanoma
- lung cancer
- rectal cancer
In addition to cancer, former workers have also reported autoimmune and neuromuscular conditions, disorders in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, or in which nerve-muscle communication is impaired.
What is a Cancer Cluster?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a cancer cluster as “a greater than expected number of the same or etiologically related cancer cases that occur within a group of people in a geographic area over a defined period of time.” By that definition, what former Olyphant plant workers and their families have documented has prompted serious concern at the state and federal levels.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Health has acknowledged the situation and is currently evaluating cancer data from communities surrounding the former facility. No official determination of a cancer cluster has been made yet. That does not mean workers lack legal recourse.
An official investigation can take years. Waiting for its conclusion is not required to pursue a legal claim.
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Who May Be Held Responsible?
Liability can extend to the companies that owned and operated the facility during the years of alleged exposure. Because the plant changed hands multiple times — from Warner Communications to Cinram International to Technicolor — each ownership era may be responsible, depending on when a worker was employed and what they were exposed to.
Potential legal claims in cases like these include:
Toxic Tort Claims
Workers who developed cancer or other serious illnesses as a result of chemical exposure may have grounds for a civil lawsuit against the companies responsible for maintaining a safe workplace. Employers have a legal obligation to protect workers from known hazardous substances, including providing appropriate safety equipment, training, and monitoring.
Wrongful Death Claims
If a former worker has died from cancer or another illness connected to their time at the plant, surviving family members may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim on their behalf. These claims can help families recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and the loss of their loved one.
Survival Actions
Separate from a wrongful death claim, Pennsylvania law also allows the deceased worker’s estate to pursue a survival action, a claim for the damages the worker themselves would have been entitled to had they lived, including pain and suffering endured before death. In many cases, families pursue both a wrongful death claim and a survival action simultaneously.
Why Choose Munley Law?
Munley Law has represented injured workers and their families in Northeastern Pennsylvania for nearly 70 years. We understand this community; we have lived and worked here all our lives, alongside the same families affected by this situation. We know how much this plant meant to the region, and we know how devastating it is when a lifetime of hard work leads to a cancer diagnosis instead of a retirement.
We handle complex toxic exposure cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win.
If you or a family member worked at the Olyphant plant and has been diagnosed with cancer or another serious illness, do not wait. In toxic exposure cases, waiting to consult an attorney can affect your legal options. The sooner we can review your situation, the better positioned you will be.
Contact Munley Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
J. Christopher Munley
James Christopher Munley is an award-winning plaintiffs’ lawyer who has dedicated his career to fighting for accident victims and their families. As a board-certified civil trial advocate, Chris was named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Workers’ Compensation by Best Lawyers, and has been listed on Pennsylvania Super Lawyers since 2013.
