Asbestos in the Workplace
While there are a growing number of documented cases of asbestos-related diseases that involve individuals who did not work directly with asbestos or asbestos-containing products, the majority of those who contract such diseases are exposed while on the job.
Exposure to asbestos in the workplace actually goes back centuries, when slaves were made to mine asbestos for various uses such as Egyptian mummification clothes and textiles like tablecloths and napkins, used during the time of the Roman Empire.
Modern-day exposure in the workplace, however, began during the Industrial Revolution and continued through the asbestos warnings and regulations of the 1970s. For decades, workers toiled – virtually unprotected from danger – amidst the airborne fibers of a product that might possibly sicken and eventually kill them.
Taking Precautions
Why Do You Need to be Concerned About Asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire-retardant. Because of its fiber strength and heat resistant properties, asbestos has been used for a wide range of manufactured goods, mostly in building materials (roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper products, and asbestos cement products), friction products (automobile clutch, brake, and transmission parts), heat-resistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets, and coatings.
When asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed by repair, remodeling or demolition activities, microscopic fibers become airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs, where they can cause significant health problems. Read more…