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Asbestos Laws and Occupations at Risk
Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally in fiber bundles, and the bundles can be separated into individual fibers. Asbestos fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals, and they do not conduct electricity. With those characteristics, products containing asbestos were a perfect fit for many construction and manufacturing industries.
Asbestos products include brake shoes and clutch pads for automobiles, insulation for boilers and steam pipes on ships, and strengthening agents for cement and talc-based crayons. In the construction industry, asbestos fibers are used in ceiling tiles, paint that is lead based, plastics, adhesives, soundproofing material and insulation. As long as the fibers are encased and contained, with little chance of exposure under normal conditions, all of these uses are legal.
In the 1980s, the Environmental Protection Agency added to those laws by banning any new uses for it, although laws still allowed for the use of it in any way that existed prior to that time. Despite the attention given to asbestos exposure, beginning with those laws, there are still many people who are unaware of what it is or what harm it presents to those who are exposed to it.
Unfortunately, asbestos exposure can carry significant health risks, some of which are untreatable and incurable at the present time.
Asbestos Cancer (Mesothelioma) & Asbestosis:
- Asbestosis is a non-cancerous, chronic lung illness caused by exposure to asbestos.
- Significant exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma and non-malignant lung and pleural disorders.
- Risk depends on duration, frequency, concentration, & type of asbestos fibres.
- Diseases from asbestos exposure take a long time to develop. Most cases of asbestosis occur in asbestos workers 15 or more years after initial exposure to asbestos.
- Smoking greatly increases the likelihood of lung cancer in workers exposed to asbestos (although smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma).
Mesothelioma (asbestos cancer):
- Mesothelioma is a rare cancer which may affect the lining of the lungs (pleura) and the abdominal cavity (peritoneum).
- Most mesotheliomas are caused by exposure to asbestos.
- Most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed 30 years or more after the first exposure to asbestos.
- Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women.
- Risk increases with age.
Symptoms & Signs:
- Shortness of breath (this is the primary symptom)
- A persistent and productive cough
- Chest tightness
- Chest pain
- Loss of appetite/weight loss
- A crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling.
Diagnosis:
- History of asbestos exposure.
- Chest X-rays are the most common method of detecting asbestos-related disorders.
Other tests:
- Physical Examination Pulmonary Function Tests Biiopsy/Bronchoscopy CT scan
Treatment:
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
Another source of asbestos litigation is for mesothelioma, which is a cancer that develops in the protective lining of the body’s major organs. The two most common forms are pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining around the lungs, and pericardial mesothelioma, which affects the lining around the heart.
Despite centuries of asbestos mining and usage, asbestos exposure has only recently been recognized as a health hazard. Because symptoms of exposure can take 10 to 50 years to show up, it took medical professionals a great deal of time to connect the disease to it.
As asbestos litigation becomes more common, the use of this substance has, in most applications, declined. Asbestos fibers are still legal, despite the hazards of exposure, only if manufacturers follow all legally required safety standards.
About the Author
Zachary Nyakundi is an expert writer in a variety of topics. For more information on Asbestos Laws and Occupations at Risk , visit his site at http://asbestos-laws-and-risks.blogspot.com/
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- Causes and Treatment of Mesothelioma
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