Asbestos Exposure

What is Asbestos, and how does an individual become exposed to it?

Asbestos is a highly versatile material that was once a staple in a variety of industries such as manufacturing, automotive, construction and military has hidden is silence. When disturbed it releases virtually indestructible microscopic fibers that can linger in the air for days. Subsequently, the fibers are inhaled or swallow and can become embedded in the lining of the lungs for years, slowly causing sustained inflammation resulting in scarring of the tissues setting the foundation for cancerous cells to develop.

While not all damage from Asbestos results in cancerous processes such as mesothelioma or lung cancer, injury can still be present in the form of asbestosis, pleural plaques, diffuse pleural fibrosis and benign pleural effusion or fluid buildup between the layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest cavity. The damage can lie dormant for 15 to even 40 years after exposure.

While workers handling asbestos directly seem to have sustained the greatest risk, those who believe they may have dodged a bullet by never having come into direct contact should reconsider. Historical records show that numerous companies were aware of the danger to workers handling Asbestos but chose to continue to use the product.

Exposure may have resulted from:

• Industrial or Commercial jobsites such as oil refineries, power plants, steel mills and chemical plants
• Automotive industries handling materials such as brake pads, clutch pressure plates and other friction products
• Shipyards
• Military operations aboard vessels, working on military aircraft or vehicles and at buildings on military installations
• Construction/Renovation of commercial buildings
• Those working within the vicinity of boilers and insulated piping
• Teachers, students, and other staff members who worked in older school buildings
• Those involved in the construction trade around the 1970’s handling items such as insulation, roofing material, siding, joint compound, ceiling tiles and flooring
• Workers involved in the September 11^th, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City

Factors involved in how asbestos exposure affects individuals include:

• How much asbestos a person was exposed to
• How long the person was exposed
• The size, shape and chemical makeup of the asbestos fibers
• The presence of other lung diseases