Asbestos Dangers in the Workplace

Asbestos is an ongoing problem at worksites and in buildings of all kinds.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fiber that is easy to extract and has been used for many years in a multitude of industries. This “miracle mineral,” as it once was known, is heat resistant, able to withstand electrical charges, moldable, durable, reliable and comes equipped with adhesive properties. For all of these reasons, asbestos was sought-after for its ability to be applied to many different products.

Nearly every building constructed before the 1980s contained some asbestos material or product.

Because of its widespread use, those in the trades that incorporate asbestos are not the only ones at risk of exposure. Homeowners, military service members, those who work in office buildings, school children, among many others, unknowingly come into contact with asbestos every day.

The American Lung Association notes that there is a risk that once inhaled, some asbestos fibers will never leave the body. ¹

Asbestos fibers are highly durable, and do not dissolve or evaporate.

Over time, asbestos fibers cause health problems, including asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Asbestos is typically not hazardous unless the microscopic fibers become airborne, or they’re ingested by other means such as in food or water. Individuals can be put at risk of exposure when building renovations are made or asbestos is otherwise kicked up into the air (i.e., by drilling, sanding, cutting away at material containing asbestos, etc.).

Small and unventilated spaces that might be contaminated with asbestos increase the risk of asbestos-related health conditions as does working in an industry in which asbestos use is still allowed.

Should a company decide to update an older workspace, it’s important to get the building tested for asbestos before undergoing any renovations. There is a high probability that some remediation will need to be done ahead of time.

High and Moderate Risk Occupations involving asbestos

The federal government has identified numerous occupations that are at high risk of asbestos exposure as well as those at moderate risk. Some at highest risk of being exposed include asbestos miners, asbestos plant workers, boiler workers, construction workers, firefighters, industrial employees (i.e., machinists), insulators, factory workers, power plant employees, shipyard workers, steel mill workers, and textile mill workers.

Those deemed to be at “moderate” risk include farmers and other agricultural workers, auto mechanics, blacksmiths, carpenters, cement and chemical plant workers, engineers, HVAC mechanics, electricians, linotype technicians, metal and oil refinery workers, paper mill employees, plumbers, and railroad workers.

Certain professions have a higher risk of exposure to plaster with asbestos.

Of course, those who work alongside these positions in the same sectors are also likely to be exposed. Then there are the industries that used a tremendous amount of asbestos before the ban with many employees still living the aftereffects, including those in jewelry making and dentistry.

Members of the service are also more or less assumed to have been exposed at some point in their careers. In fact, the government indicated that it would process disability compensation claims for anyone who served in the military in Southwest Asia dating back to August 1990 and is reporting having one or more asbestos-related conditions as well as those who have served in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Syria or Djibouti beginning September 19, 2001, to the present.

The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT)  and veterans injured by asbestos exposure.

On March 3, 2022, the United States House of Representatives took this one step further by passing the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. With the new legislation in place, military veterans would be eligible for compensation and free treatment of health conditions that developed as a result of their time in the service, especially after exposure to burn pits, which were commonly used as a means to discard waste, including asbestos-containing trash.

When in doubt, get an asbestos air test or sample analysis to look for asbestos.

Asbestos fibers continue to present health problems, and may even impose legal liabilities on landowners if anyone is injured.

Because the standards are somewhat ambiguous, it is difficult to determine whether an employee will develop an asbestos-related health condition in the workplace, and this ambiguity is likely to continue for some time to come.