Asbestos is the general term for the fibrous minerals that are often found in manufactured goods like roofing, shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper, cement, and more. Asbestos has a high tensile strength and can be woven into all sorts of shapes. It also resists heat and most chemicals, making it a perfect building material. Yet asbestos can also be very dangerous. According to the Toxic Substances Control Act, asbestos is in chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, actinolite and tremolite. Exposure to asbestos can affect the lungs, and eventually cause lung disease in the future.
Construction workers who smoke and are around asbestos are at an even higher risk to getting a lung disease from the dangerous elements. The Environmental Protection Agency says that the greater your exposure to asbestos, the greater your risk of harmful health effects. Sometimes the lung problems take years to develop, so you may not even know that you are putting yourself in harm’s way by working with asbestos until it is too late.
Asbestos exposure is airborne. This means that being in an area where materials with asbestos are used will put you at risk to inhaling the dangers fibers. Continuous exposure increases the amount of these fibers which may collect in your lungs. Eventually, the fibers become embedded in the lung tissue and cause asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma. Specifically, asbestosis is a serious, progressive long-term illness that manifests itself in the lungs. This happens when the fibers irritate the lung tissues and cause scarring in the organs. The scarring makes it harder for oxygen to get to the blood, and this creates shortness of breath and a dry, crackling sound in the lungs when inhaling. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for this sickness.
People who are constantly exposed to asbestos can also get lung cancer. This disease causes the largest amount of deaths related to asbestos exposure. People who work in mining, million, or manufacturing of asbestos are more likely to develop this cancer than those of the general population. Also, construction workers or others who work with products that have asbestos are at risk. The first stages of lung cancer normally bring on coughing and a change in breathing. Eventually, the victim will experience shortness of breath and persistent chest pains. Sometimes the victim also struggles with a hoarse voice and anemia. Like all cancers, lung cancer can be fatal and not all men and women who are diagnosed are able to survive the battle.
Lastly, asbestos can cause mesothelioma. This is a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin membrane of the lung, chest, heart, or abdomen. While rare, this disease is almost always linked to asbestos when it is discovered. It can be deadly, and may not show up for years after the exposure occurred. Oftentimes, by the time that mesothelioma is discovered it is too late. The cancer is aggressive and deadly, and can be treated but not cured. Most often, those who contract this cancer are treated with comfort and care and doctors hope that they will recover. Unfortunately, victims rarely do.
Where is asbestos located? It can actually be found in a variety of locations. Roof coatings, roll board, flooring felt, disc brake pads, pipeline wrap and vinyl/asbestos floor tiles all have large concentrations of the product. There is also some clothing that is made with asbestos, and it is found in some roofing shingles. The government is primarily focused on keeping children away from asbestos, but you should also avoid the dangerous material that can cause so much damage. If you have a lung disease that has been linked to asbestos, then you may have a personal injury case. If you were exposed to this harmful material at your work, office, or anywhere where a third party was responsible, then seek compensation today. The money that you earn can help to pay your medical bills and possibly fund treatments that can aid your recovery!