Since the early 1970’s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have recognized asbestos as a cancer-causing agent. These agencies have tried to pass asbestos laws to ban or limit the use of this deadly material.
Many asbestos producers began to pressure the U.S. government in preventing any asbestos laws that would restrict asbestos use because they feared the loss of profits. But by 1989, most products containing asbestos were banned.
Today, the EPA regulates the emission of asbestos from factories and also from building demolitions. OSHA also upholds asbestos laws limiting the amount of asbestos fibers found in the air and in the workplace. As a result of these regulations, many law firms are now set up to assist mesothelioma sufferers in processing claims to receive the compensation for which they are entitled.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral or group of minerals. It is a “mined” mineral that takes on the form of natural fibers. These fibers a capable of floating in air and can lodge into the lungs, causing infection and other damage to the cells.
Asbestos is also found in products such as old plastics, textiles, electrical switchboards, caulking/patching tape, brake linings, paper products, crayons containing talc, and heavy industrial sealants. There is a widespread use of asbestos in manufacturing because heat and chemicals do not affect asbestos and it is not a conductor of electricity. Asbestos is often added to cement and plastic to increase its durability. It is also used in some products for fire proofing and sound absorption.
Asbestos is a dust-like fiber that clings to clothing, skin, fingernails, and hair. As a result of this, workers exposed to asbestos also run the risk of exposing other people who are in close contact.
Exposure to asbestos is the leading risk factor for developing mesothelioma. The use of asbestos in manufacturing stopped after 1989 once asbestos had been linked to mesothelioma. Up until this time, asbestos had been used in products such as, soundproofing, insulation, patching compounds, ironing board covers and roofing.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral made of silicate. The two main forms of asbestos are amphiboles (thin, rod-like fibers), and serpentine (pliable and coiled). When asbestos is inhaled it is expelled by first sticking to the mucus in the bronchi, and then being coughed up. While the serpentine fibers are easily cleared, the amphiboles are not easily coughed up. The amphiboles can reach the end of the alveoli and penetrate into the surface lining of the pleura.
The risk of developing a mesothelioma is directly related to how long and how much asbestos the person was exposed to. A mesothelioma may take as many as 20 to 50 years to develop.
Malignant Mesothelioma
First off – What are mesothelial cells?
Mesothelial cells make up the lining of your body’s cavities: pleura, peritoneum. pericardium, testis, etc.
Why does asbestos cause this?
If you just said to yourself, I have no clue? Don’t worry you’re not alone. Researchers are still unsure how this happens as well. In general, remember that malignant mesothelioma is a type of cancer and the generally accepted theory on the cause of cancers is one of multifactorial instigators. Despite an elusive cause, some information is known concerning asbestos and malignant mesothelioma. Direct contact of asbestos fibers with body tissues (most commonly lung tissue from inhalation) causes a local inflammation reaction. Inflammation factors over time may block the natural function of tumor suppressor genes and allow overgrowth of mesothelial cells. Current theory points to a tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 9 called p-16.
Insulating materials before the mid-1970’s commonly contained asbestos. In addition to household attic insulation, these included: pipe and boiler insulation, fireproofing, insulating cements, plaster, and joint materials, firebrick and gunnite, roof floor and ceiling tiles, transite siding, brakes and clutches.
“The following tradesmen could have worked around asbestos:
• Insulators (also known as asbestos workers) who actually installed insulation
• Boilermakers who constructed boilers which were often several stories high and filled with insulation
• Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters who fitted and welded pipes together and often worked in small unventilated compartments in ships where large quantities of insulation were used
• Plasterers who worked with fireproofing spray on steel beams
• Shipyard workers and Navy personnel
• Electricians, mechanics
• Bricklayers; millwrights; carpenters; and other building trades workers
• Steel workers; refinery and other industrial workers;
• Maintenance workers; laborers; many others. “
The main risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral that can be found in dust and rocks in the United States. Asbestos was used in the past in products such as insulation, floor tiles, and roofing. Most use of asbestos was stopped in 1989. Asbestos fibers that are breathed in can travel to the lining of the lungs causing damage to lung cells. These damaged lungs cells can lead to pleural mesothelioma. When swallowed, asbestos fibers can reach the lining of the abdominal cavity where they can contribute to the development of peritoneal mesothelioma. People at risk for asbestos exposure include some miners, factory workers, and makers of insulation, railroad workers, ship builders, gas mask makers, and construction workers. The risk of getting mesothelioma depends on the amount of asbestos a person was exposed to and for how long. The time between the first exposure and developing the disease is often between 20 and 50 years.
There are 4 work classifications based on level of predicted exposure . Some of these levels require the use of a respirator. Employers must monitor all asbestos operations. Each construction site must have an employee deemed competent to recognize and address hazards. An initial exposure assessment must be conducted as well as subsequent assessments throughout the project. They must keep records of employees’ asbestos exposure and asbestos levels at sites. Warning signs must be clearly
posted. Employees must also be trained in proper care and handling of asbestos. Some of the specific precautions are as follows:
1) use of local exhaust ventilation with a HEPA filter;
2) processes producing asbestos dust must be enclosed or isolated;
3) site must have proper ventilation to move contaminated air away from employees and toward a HEPA filter;
4) use of vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters to remove asbestos dust;
5) use of wet methods or wetting agents to prevent dust formation;
6) prompt cleaning and disposal of asbestos containing materials;
7) high speed abrasive disc saws may not be used unless equipped with point-of-cut ventilation or enclosure with HEPA filters;
8) compressed air may not be used to remove asbestos unless enclosed with a ventilation system;
9) dry sweeping, shoveling, or other dry cleanup may not be used
The exact cause of mesothelioma is not known. However, working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos had been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, insulation, brake linings, roof shingles, textiles, and flooring products. Small asbestos particles can float in the air and may be inhaled or swallowed, causing serious health problems. A history of asbestos exposure is reported in approximately 75 percent of all cases of mesothelioma. There have been a small number of reported cases in individuals with no known asbestos exposure. Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person’s risk of developing cancer of the air passages in the lungs.
Asbestos is a soft and flexible mineral that has been in use for many centuries. The Ancient Greeks gave it the name asbestos because of its amazing fireproof qualities. Asbestos literally means inextinguishable. It was during industrial revolution that asbestos became popular and was used in structures such as ceilings and walls to provide insulation.
It was in the 1900’s that the risks to asbestos workers began to emerge. It was in the mid 1920’s that an English doctor made the first diagnosis of asbestosis. Asbestos continued to be used until the mid-seventies and unfortunately many workers had already been exposed to asbestos fibers and contracted mesothelioma. Today, there are many laws and regulations in place to prevent workers being exposes to asbestos, thus preventing workers from contracting this form of cancer.
Mesothelioma is a tumor that can be benign or malignant. Those at highest risk for developing mesothelioma are those that have been exposed to asbestos. Exposure does not have to be significant. Occupations that put people at risk for asbestos exposure include, but are not limited to: miners, shipyard workers, insulators, factory workers, railroad workers and manufacturers of gas masks. Family members of those working around asbestos are also at risk for developing mesothelioma, as they exposure to asbestos as well. Asbestos particles often remain on the body and clothing of the exposed worker, therefore those family members around the worker can ingest the asbestos dust and become exposed. Those involved in laundering clothes of the asbestos-exposed worker, also become at risk for developing mesothelioma. Tobacco is not an independent risk factor for developing mesothelioma; however, tobacco plus asbestos exposure significantly increases ones risk for developing mesothelioma.