Asbestos mesothelioma is a fatal asbestos cancer involving the mesothelium, a protective lining that encloses most of the body’s internal organs. The only known cause of mesothelioma seems to be exposure to asbestos particles in the air. The time between exposure and the appearance of symptoms can be as long as 20 to 50 years.
Asbestos Health Threat
Asbestos Remains in Use Despite the Health Warnings
Asbestos is not banned in the US and Canada – it’s still in use in a wide variety of products. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are 3,000 different types of commercial products currently in use in the US today that contain asbestos, including building materials, brake pads, and fire retardant materials and products.
Asbestos is mainly used as an insulating material – it is a very effective fire retardant material, hence its use to insulate boilers, pipes, and fire doors; it’s used in roofing and many construction materials, and in electrical fittings.
The types of work environments where you are most likely to encounter asbestos include mines, shipyards, railroads, power plants, and construction sites.
Workers who may be at risk for asbestos exposure include, but are not limited to:
- Boiler and furnace technicians
- Car mechanics (brake shoes)
- Construction workers
- Navy shipyard workers
- Pipe fitters
- Miners
- Railway workers
Secondary or Passive Asbestos Exposure
At Home
Asbestos mesothelioma doesn’t just affect the people working with it directly. Recently the medical profession has started to recognize that people can be affected by asbestos-caused diseases through secondary or passive exposure.
For example, cases of second-hand asbestos exposure were recently been reported by wives and children of men who worked in the shipyards in World War II. The workers were exposed to large amounts of damaged or “friable” asbestos while on the job, and their wives became came ill following exposure to asbestos fibers that had become lodged in the workers’ clothing. Over the years, the constant inhalation of these fibers resulted in the development of asbestos-related diseases.
In the Community
Secondary asbestos exposure is also possible by living in a community or area located near an asbestos mine or a company that manufactures asbestos or products containing asbestos. Many older buildings may also contain asbestos insulation, including schools.
Perhaps the most famous victims of community contamination in North America are the residents of Libby, Montana, an asbestos-mining town. Vermiculite, which naturally contains asbestos, was mined there between 1923 and 1991. Workers and families of workers who lived in the town sued W.R. Grace, the last company to own the mine. At one point the company reportedly faced 110,000 lawsuits for sickening hundreds of people and contributing to the deaths of 225—allegedly with full knowledge.
Other examples of community exposure include the World Trade Center site after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and areas prone to damage from natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina.
Comments
2 Responses to “Asbestos And Mesothelioma Lawsuits”
Google Trends Today
geauga county fair
cleveland air show 2010
chitty chitty bang bang
woodstock fair
goshen fair
lee mi yeon
texas tech football
jerry lewis telethon 2010
governors island
turing
wisconsin badgers football
basque
nfl cuts 2010
taste of madison 2010
renaissance fair ny
arts beats and eats 2010
renaissance festival mn
wrentham village premium outlets
paul conrad cartoons
Asbestos would really crap your lungs if you inhale bits of it.;;”
Asbestos dust is really dangerous and can cause lung scarring,,’
Leave a Reply