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Millions of people around the world have been exposed to asbestos. Unfortunately, the risk of exposure still exists today. People everywhere run the risk of developing Mesothelioma-one of the deadliest forms of cancer.
Between the 1930s and the 1980s asbestos was used in as many as 3,000 products. If you have worked with any of the following products, you may have had regular exposure to asbestos:
Construction products such as fire-retardant paints, sheetrock, ceiling or floor tiles.
Insulation products such as heat mats, under-flooring, boilers, pipe insulation.
Asbestos cement sheet and pipe products such as electrical switchboards and componenets, building materials, roofing and siding.
Friction products such as brake linings, gaskets, and clutch facings.
Asbestos textile products such as fire and heat-resistant fabrics, roofing materials and felt. It is widely known that the following people are likely to have been exposed to asbestos: Firefighters
Shipbuilders
Railroad workers
Factory workers
Drywall workers
Miners
Maintenance engineers
Construction workers Other places where there is the risk of asbestos exposure include: Shipyards and ships
Paper mills
Foundries
Construction sites
Chemical plants
Automotive repair of brakes and clutches
Asbestos mining
Steel Mills
Refineries This is only a partial list of places where people can come into contact with asbestos. It should also be noted that the relatives of people exposed to asbestos can also be exposed simply by inhaling the dust from a worker’s clothes or hair. Also, people who live near mining, plants or factories have an increased risk of developing asbestos-related diseases. Since many people have been exposed to the health hazards of asbestos, agencies such as OSHA and the EPA have set up guidelines to assist with how to handle asbestos. The EPA recommends that the asbestos be covered instead of removed because only when the asbestos is handled are the dust and fiber particles released.
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