Jun 11, 2009 - The Asbestos and Mesothelioma Weekly News
Every week there are hundreds of articles written about asbestos and mesothelioma. Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral that was had many uses. Asbestos was once considered a miracle substance because it was very durable, fireproof, and heat and chemical resistant. As industrial and navy workers began to become very ill after working around asbestos, doctors, regulators and scientists studied the mineral and found it to cause cancers and deadly lung conditions.
All forms of asbestos are now known to be carcinogenic. It is widely accepted that inhalation of asbestos often leads to potentially lethal ailments such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Because of the health hazard created by asbestos, many uses have been banned or severely restricted in most developed countries since the mid 1980’s. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) have banned the use of asbestos and created mandated regulations around the repair, removal and disposal of the toxic substance. The Clean Air Act is one such measure taken to protect workers and family members of workers from exposure to asbestos.
Once inhaled, asbestos fibers become lodged in the boys and can remain there for many years. Diseases caused by asbestos may not show symptoms for 20 to 40 years after exposure. One particularly fatal disease caused by asbestos is mesothelioma, a rare cancer found in the mesothelium, or lining, of the lung, chest or abdominal cavities. Approximately 3000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States every year.
Despite a ban on the use of asbestos for over twenty years, it is still a hot topic in the news for two reasons:
- The long latency period between time of exposure and development of symptoms means that many new cases of disease are reported each day and treatment research is ongoing.
- Asbestos was widely used in many industrial and construction products, including cement, roof and floor tiles, pipe and electrical wire insulation, textiles, ceiling insulation, etc. Therefore, when any damage is caused to such materials, either through fire, decay, or demolition, asbestos fibers become airborne and create a current threat to all in the vicinity if not properly responded to or handled.
Several noteworthy stories regarding asbestos and mesothelioma were reported in the news this past week:
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In Columbus, Ohio the House of Representatives and Senate took legislative floor actions to designate September as “Mesothelioma Month.”
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As GM’s moves further along in its bankruptcy proceedings, asbestos personal injury claimants request to be an official committee in order to represent themselves and protect their interests. Many workers were exposed to asbestos occupationally while working in GM plants and claim they have a legal right to be included in any negotiations.
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A North Carolina town was cited for asbestos violations and faces fines of $1,750 for improper removal of asbestos and failure to protect workers during renovations to the town hall. An architect who was volunteering on the project claims that floor tiles contained asbestos and that the town failed to follow state and federal safety guidelines of:
o Assessing for the presence of asbestos prior to remodeling
o Removing asbestos-containing materials by an accredited asbestos abatement professional
o Properly removing and disposing of asbestos materials to prevent them from becoming airborne, increasing risk of inhalation
o Improper supervision and lack of warning to workers and not providing protective gear such as specialized respirators.
The town has fifteen days to respond.
- In the U.K., a North Devon man who worked for a chimney manufacturer, Selkirk Flue Limited, has received an undisclosed substantial amount of compensation after being diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mr. Dancer worked for the company from 1969 until time of diagnosis in 2007 removing and applying asbestos insulation to pipes.
To read more about the latest medical news about mesothelioma please visit Helping Mesothelioma Patients. This site reports current news regarding diagnosing, treating and managing asbestos related diseases and contains a wealth of resources.
If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos or has been diagnosed with mesothelioma and would like to talk to an experienced asbestos attorney or specialist from our asbestos law firm, please call 1-800-440-4262.
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