Demolition is a vocation that requires complete accuracy, careful attention to detail, and a large amount of risk assessment. When things go wrong in the demolition field, they can become life-threatening situations at a moment’s notice. However, demolition workers may be unaware of a very important risk factor involved with their work environment: asbestos exposure. Here’s what you need to know about the risk of asbestos exposure for demolition workers- and how to prevent them.










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If you may have been exposed to asbestos, even when you were a child, speak to your healthcare provider about tests and screening to help detect the presence of asbestos fibers and asbestos-related diseases.






















Asbestos | An Imminent Danger in the Construction Industry









Asbestos has been a “fan-favorite” in the construction industry for millennia. This naturally-occurring mineral can be found either as serpentine or amphibole asbestos fibers, and these durable fibers make for great protection and strength building in dozens of applications, including:





    

  • Asphalt
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  • Flooring
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  • Rubber
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  • Plastics
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  • Gaskets
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  • Roofing
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  • Insulation
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  • Cement
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  • Coatings
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  • Walls
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While asbestos-containing materials make for incredibly effective protection for buildings (asbestos is fire, corrosion, and heat resistant, just to name a few) they also pose a dangerous health risk when these asbestos fibers are broken apart and spread abroad. The health risks that are involved when asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed are numerous. 











    

        

            

                
                    

                        
                            
“Some asbestos fibers may bypass…your body’s natural defenses…and lodge deep within your lungs. Those fibers can remain in place for a very long time and may never be removed.”

                            
Source: American Lung Association


                        		
                    

                
            

        

    












The tiny, even microscopic asbestos fibers get lodged in the body’s lungs and other tissues, which cause damage and internal scarring over time. This slow and steady damage can go on for decades unnoticed but eventually leads to asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis and pleural plaque, as well as forms of cancer in the lungs, stomach, throat, and colon.










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Occupational Asbestos Exposure









It’s easy to think about these risks and determine that those who are most vulnerable to asbestos-related illnesses include construction workers and those who are in the vicinity of buildings that contain asbestos, which includes virtually every building in America constructed prior to the ban on asbestos in 1980. 





This type of asbestos exposure is called occupational exposure, and it can certainly include construction workers as well as those who work in shipyards, factories, foundries, and refineries. Even if the materials being manufactured in the facilities are unlikely to contain asbestos, it is very likely that the facilities themselves were constructed with asbestos-containing materials in some capacity. As a general rule of thumb, the older the building, the more likely it is to contain asbestos.













Image Asbestos Demolition article body













When Demolition is Deadly









However, while this is true, perhaps one of the most overlooked industry workers at risk is those in the demolition industry. The reason for this is pretty simple when you think about it: Demolition workers are largely involved in the deconstruction of old buildings. 





Nearly every building constructed before the mid-1980s contained asbestos materials.





Homeowners and Companies have various legal obligations when it comes to the presence of asbestos in their homes or facilities. There are both ethical as well as financial incentives to remove asbestos (asbestos abatement) in order to avoid any legal liability. 





Homes or facilities that contain asbestos can quickly become the ground zero for exposure dangers when natural disasters such as tornados, flooding, or hurricanes come through and cause structural damage. Things like roof damage or extensive water damage to walls and floors are much more than insurance liabilities in the case of asbestos-containing materials; they’re friability issues. 











    

        

            

                
                    

                        
                            
“Some asbestos fibers may bypass…your body’s natural defenses…and lodge deep within your lungs. Those fibers can remain in place for a very long time and may never be removed.”

                            
Source: American Lung Association


                        		
                    

                
            

        

    












What is asbestos friability?





Friability has to do with the degradation and crumbling of asbestos, which can happen over time or in the event of damage like natural disasters. This is when asbestos truly becomes dangerous and spreads throughout the surrounding area.





A vital point related to friability is that it doesn’t only apply to damage from natural disasters or fire damage; it also applies to demolition work. Not only can demolition involve controlled explosions of old buildings that contain asbestos, posing an immediate risk for those who go in to set up demolition charges, but it can also pose a risk for everyone in the surrounding area. Today there are specific, approved demolition and safe removal methods for asbestos-containing buildings established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) but many of those regulations have come after thousands of workers have been exposed in the past.











    

        

            

                
                    

                        
                            
“Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after exposure.”

                            
Source: National Cancer Institute
 (NIH)1

                        		
                    

                
            

        

    























The Bad News of Contamination and Secondary Exposure 









Millions of industrial workers’ families were exposed to asbestos on work clothing. Spouses, children and other household members are at increased risk of asbestos diseases.





Not only is the unsafe removal or demolition of buildings with asbestos a risk of further air contamination, but it also is an issue of secondary exposure. Workers in exposure environments can transmit asbestos to their homes and into contact with friends and family members by their clothing, tools, or other belongings that were exposed to asbestos fibers. This is not always obvious, since asbestos fibers are microscopic and scentless. In other words, there’s no way to see or smell asbestos fibers. 












                    

                        

                        
                            

                                
                                    
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Loose asbestos fibers can be spread throughout the home from airflow and dispersed by HVAC ducts, and work clothes containing asbestos are removed to be laundered, spreading the fibers on everyone’s clothing in the process. This chain reaction represents why so many who never work in the asbestos industry or facilities that contained asbestos still went on to develop asbestos-related diseases. 





Of course, many of those who were exposed to asbestos second-hand had no idea until years later when they went on to develop these diseases without warning. Thankfully, for demolition workers and others who have been exposed to asbestos, there are compensation options available.













       
        
Do You Qualify For Compensation?

        
Quickly and easily find out how you were exposed by searching W.A.R.D., the largest asbestos database on the planet.

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The Good News about Compensation









There are numerous avenues for asbestos claims, including asbestos trusts, which can provide compensation without a lawsuit.





Workers compensation can provide the necessary help for healthcare costs, lost wages, and death benefits for loved ones. This is a common example of dealing with the legal ramifications of asbestos exposure while getting the help you deserve, but another example is arguably easier, quicker, and often does not involve a lawsuit. Asbestos trusts can provide compensation without affecting a person’s employer or benefits. It is also possible to qualify for multiple asbestos trusts simultaneously. It is important to know that there are criteria to meet before qualifying for asbestos trust funds, as well as the loss of filing a claim if you wait too long. 





If you are a demolition worker or a family member of one who has contracted an asbestos-related disease, you should reach out to the professionals at AsbestosClaims.law as soon as possible to determine what kind of compensation you qualify for.





















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For Justinian C. Lane, getting compensation for asbestos victims is personal.





Justinian’s grandparents and his father all worked with asbestos in their younger years and died from asbestos-related cancers in their later years.  





At the time of each of their deaths, no one in Justinian’s family knew that they were eligible to file an asbestos lawsuit and to seek compensation from the asbestos trusts.





Because no one in Justinian’s family knew their options, they never received any compensation for the death of their loved ones. 





If you believe that you or your family member’s injury was related to asbestos exposure, you could be entitled to significant compensation.





This is money you could use to cover the costs of asbestos removal services, pay for medical treatment, and preemptively protect your physical well-being. 





There are also asbestos trusts that offer compensation much more quickly and easily (without filing a lawsuit.)





If you’d like help with filing a claim, please get in touch by email at [email protected], or call or text us at (833) 4-ASBESTOS (427-2378) or (206) 455-9190. We’ll listen to your story and explain your options. And we never charge for anything unless you receive money in your pocket.





In addition to legal claims, veterans disability, social security and employment protection like workers compensation, FELA and The Jones Act for maritime workers, there are asbestos trusts that have been set up to compensate those harmed by asbestos without having to file a lawsuit.





There is no risk or cost to speak with one of our staff about your asbestos litigation. There are no fees unless you receive money.





If you have any additional questions or concerns related to asbestos, check out our website and YouTube page for videos, infographics and answers to your questions about asbestos, including health and safety, asbestos testing, removing asbestos from your home and building, and legal information about compensation for asbestos injuries.





Introducing the largest database of asbestos information on the planet.





W.A.R.D., which stands for the Worldwide Asbestos Research Database, helps clients to narrow down when and where they may have been exposed, as well as which products may still contain asbestos. W.A.R.D. will also help indicate compensation types and how much a person may be entitled to.









































1 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.