El asbesto was once used in a variety of industrial applications throughout the United States, such as in insulation, vinyl floor tiles, roofing shingles, textured paint, heat-resistant fabrics, and automobile clutches and brakes, just to name a few. It was also used heavily in the military, especially in shipbuilding. It has no taste or smell, and its microscopic fibers make it invisible to the naked eye. Thus, many people who have been exposed to asbesto aren’t even aware. 

Today, it’s widely known that this once hailed “miracle mineral” can cause serious health problems – particularly respiratory issues, such as asthma, emphysema, and lung cancer, as well many other chronic illnesses, including abdominal cancer, laryngeal cancer, ovarian cancer, and cardiovascular disease. 

Según los Mayo Clinic, asbesto-related diseases can be difficult to diagnose mainly due to the fact that signs and symptoms are similar to many other types of diseases, and also due to symptom latencia. Because symptoms may not show up for years, it can be hard to pinpoint the cause. When fibers are inhaled, they regularly cause inflammation and tissue scarring, over time leading to the development of health problems.

When people experience prolonged exposición to the asbesto fibers, it can also cause a condition called asbestosis. La Asbestosis is a serious lung issue eventually developing into diffuse interstitial fibrosis and should not be confused with other asbesto-related diseases. This lung issue normally shows up within 10 to 15 years following exposición, and the main symptom is shortness of breath. For those who are exposed to asbesto fibers at work, asbestosis is sometimes referred to as occupational lung disease. 

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is another disease caused by exposición al asbesto that makes it difficult to breathe. There are certain occupations where the risk for COPD is especially high, such in the construction, mining, automotive or shipbuilding industries. Those who worked in these industries prior to the mid-1980s are especially at risk.

It is also possible to get second-hand exposición al asbesto. For instance, evidence shows that there is an increased risk of mesothelioma in those who live near an asbesto source, such as near mines, mills, and asbesto processing plants. This is because the fibers can easily travel in water, wind, or soil, impacting entire nearby communities. Experts believe that nearly 1 in 5 cases of asbesto-related diseases are caused by second-hand exposición. 

Experts believe that nearly 1 in 5 cases of asbesto-related diseases are caused by second-hand exposición.

It is important to note that while asbesto-related exposición is not contagious, many industrial workers also unknowingly bring asbesto hogar with them, exposing their family members. The fibers were brought home in their hair, on their skin, clothes, and shoes, and in their tool bags, lunchpails and vehicles. When clothes are washed, or the family shares a car, fibers can be kicked up into the air and ingested by anyone in the home.

Where El asbesto May Still be Lurking

Nearly every building constructed before the mid-1980s contained asbesto building materials and products.

Because the construction industry used asbesto so heavily for many years, there are numerous homes and other structures still standing that contain the mineral. If left undisturbed, asbesto can be harmless. However, as these structures age over time, they experience wear and tear, eventually causing fibers to break down and become airborne, making them easy to ingest. 

Renovating or demolishing older homes can be harmful if not done properly, with the help of a professional. Oftentimes, homeowners attempt these projects themselves without using protective gear. 

Awareness de exposición al asbesto has greatly increased over the past few years, and after the EPA restricted the use of asbesto in the U.S. in the 1980s, most asbesto use has been replaced with safer alternatives. For instance, fiberglass is used in place of asbesto insulation and in fire blankets once made from asbesto. It is still used sparingly in areas where the risk of asbesto becoming airborne is very slim – such as in automobile parts and in cement.

For many decades, asbesto companies did not warn their employees about the dangers of working around asbesto.

When company doctors found that employees were sick, the company often just moved employees to another job without notifying them of the risks of cancer and other health damage to them and their families.

Employee X Ray Asbestos InternalLetter 3 26 59

In this letter, executives at the largest asbesto company in the world – Johns Manville – discuss what to do when an employee requests their company X-ray. The executives were concerned about legal exposición if the employee is sick and receives compensation for their injury.

Diagnostic Tools for Identifying El asbesto Damage

What is a B-reader, and what does it have to do with asbesto and cancer?

Due to the difficult nature of diagnosing asbesto damage to the lungs, getting an x-ray is a critical first step, and it is important that the x-ray technician is someone who is a certified B-reader. A B-reader is an individual who is trained to properly evaluate a chest x-ray to determine if any asbesto fibers inhaled have caused damage to the lining of the lungs. This could mean either tissue scarring or nodules. 

Para las demandas por trabajadores in jobs that could potentially expose them to high levels of asbesto over a long period of time, regular chest x-rays may be necessary in order to monitor the health of their lungs. Getting an x-ray is as simple as scheduling a visit with a licensed physician and discussing one’s concerns.

Anyone who is experiencing symptoms believed to be connected to exposición should schedule a visit with their physician right away to discuss next steps. An x-ray is the most common imaging technique and the radiation level is not harmful to one’s health. When the x-ray technician is conducting the scan, they can see anything abnormal, such as a tumor. Choosing not to get tested could mean the difference between life and death.

Early detection and intervention is key to obtaining the best possible outcome when it comes to living with an asbesto-related disease. The sooner a doctor and the patient are made aware of the presence of an asbesto-related disease, the easier it becomes to take steps to slow the progression of the condition. 

The CDC recommends ongoing monitoring for people who may have been exposed to asbesto.

Según los Centers for Disease Control (CDC), worker monitoring is also an important tool that can be used in order to prevent diseases in occupational settings. This type of monitoring refers to receiving regular chest x-rays to check for pneumoconiosis in individuals who may have been exposed to asbesto while on the job. The CDC houses a worker monitoring database where the agency can actively track areas in the United States where asbesto cases are surfacing, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also has guidelines in place for protecting the safety of those in the field.

In Conclusion

If you or someone you know has been exposed to asbesto on the job or at home, getting a chest x-ray and having it evaluated by a B-reader is essential. This will help determine whether there has been any damage caused to the lungs. Because x-rays are a common diagnostic tool used in the medical community, it simply takes scheduling an appointment with a licensed clinician to get the process started.

https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/owcp/energy/regs/compliance/public_reading_room/asbestos_disorders.pdf