Asbestos Exposure and Glaziers: Risks and Prevention

Glaziers who worked professionally before the mid-1980s are at an increased risk for asbestos exposure and asbestos-related diseases.

There are many buildings and houses that were built prior to the 1970s which contain the mineral and are still in use. It’s Important to understand that asbestos is not dangerous unless the microscopic fibers become airborne or are ingested. However, when these structures are disturbed, typically by renovations, or small repairs that include drilling, sanding, or cutting, anyone who breathes in the fibers, or ingests them inadvertently in drinks or food, are at risk of developing long term illnesses. 

People who worked in these industries prior the mid-1980s have a higher risk of developing asbestos-related diseases:

Unfortunately so do their families.

Nearly every building constructed before the mid-1980s included asbestos products and materials.

Asbestos was mixed with many different construction and manufacturing materials to make them more resistant to fire, friction, corrosion, electricity, pressure, and sound. Some of these materials include:

• Plaster
• Vinyl
• Insulation
• Drywall
• Tile
• Sealants
• Cement
• Paint
• Ducts
• Pipes
• Shingles
• Panels

These products were then used in a variety of places and in vehicles that people used every day. Factories, shipyards, schools, and refineries, cars, trucks, motorcycles, buses, trains, and military cars all were likely to contain trace amounts of asbestos.

Asbestos diseases have a long latency, meaning they can take many decades to appear.

Once exposed, especially for extended periods of time, it is believed that asbestos never leaves a person’s system because of its durability. Again, fibers enter the body by being inhaled or ingested and become embedded into the lungs and pleural membranes. Over time, these fibers begin to cause health problems leading to chronic illness, and in some cases, death. Among the most common asbestos-related diseases include asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer, but these are just a few.

Asbestos is now highly regulated and many uses are banned. But it is still in many buildings, and thousands of industrial workers like glaziers and their families have asbestos damage.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have taken measures to protect workers from exposure to hazardous materials. The National Library of Medicine provides scientific evidence of asbestos and its harmful effects from extended exposure.

According to the Mesothelioma Clinic, glaziers and other glassworkers are at risk of asbestos-related illnesses because of their jobs. The exposure came from regular use of products that contained asbestos, and a number of glazing products manufactured before the 1990s commonly contained the toxin. Among them are:

• Putty
• Sealant
• Insulated frames
• Weatherstripping

Over $30 Billion is still available (without a lawsuit). Stake your claim.

Present-day Exposure Risks

Ever since the use of asbestos was greatly restricted by the mid-1980s, there have been products entering the market to replace the toxin. However, not all products that have asbestos in them have been replaced. Some commonly known products that still contain asbestos today include cement, plastics and resins, textiles, products that involve heat, like hair dryers and irons, roofing and insulation, cement pipes, sheets, and floor tiles, gaskets and brake pads, and filters and filter paper. An interesting fact is that 70% of manufactured asbestos can be found in cement.

Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases can take 20-50 years to appear.

It can take years to begin feeling the symptoms of asbestos exposure. Therefore, those that worked with the mineral long ago may just be starting to feel sick. What’s more, many people don’t think about asbestos illnesses being attributed to secondhand exposure, but families and children of people who worked around asbestos, including glaziers and other glassworkers, have developed asbestos-related illnesses as well. 

An article in The National Library of Medicine, states that “children who (i) lived with an industrial worker, (ii) near asbestos mining and manufacturing, or (iii) where asbestos containing products were used, may be vulnerable to secondhand asbestos exposure in such circumstances.” 

Asbestos can travel on work clothing into the home and in family vehicles, exposing spouses and children. Moreover, asbestos workers can easily transfer fibers from the workplace into their homes on their clothing, shoes and work pails as well as in the hair.

AsbestosClaims.Law

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.