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ASBESTOS EXPOSURE

The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Click here to read more about how asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma. Asbestos is actually a generic term for several different types of minerals which occur naturally as bundles of fibers in the ground. Left undisturbed, asbestos would be harmless. But after it is mined and then milled (crushed into a powdery form) to be added to various products, bundles of asbestos fibers are small and light enough to become airborne and respirable. It is this friable asbestos that is so dangerous when breathed.

The two main types of asbestos are chrysotile and amphibole asbestos. Chrysotile, which was the more commonly used type in the United States, is composed of curly, serpentine shaped fibers. Experts believe that, though still dangerous, because of its shape, chrysotile is a less potent carcinogen (cancer causing agent) than other types of asbestos. The straight or needle-like shaped Amphibole asbestos, while less common, was still used in a variety of commercial products throughout the years. This amphibole type of asbestos, primarily crocidolite and amosite, is an extremely potent carcinogen.

Asbestos fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals, and do not conduct electricity. They are also lightweight, flexible and durable. For these reasons, asbestos was a very useful ingredient in thousands of different products for decades. At the same time, though, asbestos is an extremely dangerous material which causes various diseases including mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer and a variety of other types of cancer. This fact that asbestos is very dangerous when breathed was well-researched and well-known by many companies who manufactured asbestos-containing products as far back as the 1920s. Despite this knowledge, many companies engaged in a deliberate effort to conceal and even suppress the facts about the dangers of asbestos.

Asbestos was first used commercially in the United States in the late 1800s. During World War II, its use increased greatly. From the 1940s through the 1970s, asbestos was an ingredient in thousands of different products. Asbestos was used in insulation made for pipes, boilers and other heated equipment and machinery. It was used in plastics, ceiling and floor tiles, drywall and drywall joint compounds, car brakes and clutches. Asbestos was used as a sprayed-on fireproofing material, in paints, various coatings and adhesives, and many other types of products as well.

With the creation of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) in 1971, regulations regarding occupational asbestos exposure finally were issued by the federal government. Over the years, these regulations have become more stringent. Most insulation became asbestos-free in 1972. Many manufacturers of other construction products eliminated asbestos from their products in the 1970s and 1980s. Asbestos has not, however, been totally banned in the U.S. A bill to finally and completely ban all asbestos is now pending in the U.S. Senate.

It is estimated that 27.5 million people were exposed to asbestos on the job between 1940 and 1979. Many of the most heavily exposed can readily recall where and how they came into contact with airborne asbestos over the course of their working lives. For example, Navy veterans and shipyard workers suffered probably the most intense exposures to asbestos during this time period. Those who worked in powerhouses/power plants and other industrial settings also had very high levels of exposure. Many people who worked in the various construction trades also were significantly exposed.

Although it is clear that the health risks from asbestos increase with heavier exposure, asbestos-related disease can also develop in people with only brief exposures. Cases where family members of those who were exposed on the job develop asbestos-related disease are not uncommon. Usually, this is because of asbestos that was unwittingly brought into the home on clothing and in the hair of workers. Many other ways in which people were incidentally exposed to asbestos only to develop an asbestos-related disease years later have been documented as well.

Please contact us to learn more about your legal rights. We have been helping people with mesothelioma and their families for over a decade.