By the 1920s, asbestos was used as a heat retardant in nearly every industry. Old appliances and infrastructure in America still contains asbestos, even though it’s been banned by the EPA. Boilermakers, specifically those who conduct maintenance on older vats and boilers, are at a particularly high risk of asbestos exposure. Why Asbestos Can Still Be Found Asbestos is a soft, fibrous metal that was used to fireproof many buildings and machines, and … [Read more...]
Bricklayers Risk Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos was used in nearly every form of construction before 1980. Due to asbestos’ ability to resist immense amounts of heat, it could be used in bricks so they wouldn’t crack despite exposure to extremely high temperatures, and would prevent mortar from damage. Asbestos was also used in concrete and electrical insulation. When these materials are sawed, cut or grinded down, the asbestos fibers are released into the air and pose serious danger to … [Read more...]
Carpentry Exposes Workers to Asbestos
Carpentry is one of the foundational occupations which allows homes and other buildings to be structurally secure. Carpenters regularly renovate and work inside of old buildings, but this presents a danger that is too often taken for granted: asbestos. Before 1980, asbestos was found in nearly every building. Carpenters may be exposed to asbestos in an old building during renovation. Asbestos splinters into microscopic particles if an asbestos … [Read more...]
Asbestos and its Risk to Modern Society
Asbestos causes mesothelioma, a fact that has been well established since the 1980’s and even before, but about 3,000 people in America are diagnosed and treated for mesothelioma every year. The reasons that asbestos is still used today are inexcusable and convoluted, but it is essential to understand how people are exposed to asbestos in order to promote safer conditions and justice for victims. Asbestos at Work Thanks to its tensile strength and … [Read more...]