Asbestos Overview

Because of these properties, they have been widely used by industry in manufactured products such as building materials, friction products, and heat resistant fabrics.

The most dangerous of these fibers are the amphibole fibers. Amphibole fibers are most often brittle and have a rod or needle-like shape. Asbestos fiber masses break apart easily, and become tiny airbourne particles that may easily be inhaled or swallowed and cause serious health problems many years later.

Where Was Asbestos Used?
Most insulation materials before the mid-1970s contained asbestos. Many other construction materials also contained asbestos. Some of the most common products were:

• Insulation on pipes
• Boiler insulation
• Insulating cements, plasters, and joint compounds that came in powder form and created a lot of dust before being completely mixed with water
• Fireproofing spray
• Firebrick and gunnite used for internal insulation of furnaces, boilers, and other vessels
• Roof, floor, and ceiling tiles
• Transite siding
• Brakes and clutches

Who Is At Risk For Being Exposed To Asbestos?

• Insulators (also known as asbestos workers) who actually installed insulation
• Boilermakers who constructed boilers which were often several stories high and filled with insulation
• Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters who fitted and welded pipes together and often worked in small unventilated compartments in ships where large quantities of insulation were used
• Plasterers who worked with fireproofing spray on steel beams
• Shipyard workers and Navy personnel
• Electricians and mechanics
• Bricklayers, millwrights, carpenters, and other building trades workers
• Steel workers, refinery and other industrial workers,
• Automotive repair (brakes and clutches).
• Miners
• and all workers in industries that used asbestos in their work.

In addition, family members of workers heavily exposed to asbestos also face an increased risk of developing mesothelioma. This is most often the result of asbestos dust being brought into the home on the shoes, clothing, skin, and hair of workers. This type of exposure is referred to as paraoccupational or household exposure.

Am I Safe From Asbestos Exposure Today?

There are many asbestos-related products in the home and at work, the most common being insulation in the heating and air ducts of homes and building built prior to 1970.

However, asbestos that is bonded into finished products such as walls, tiles, pipes and insulation pose no safety or health threat as long as these products are not disturbed or damaged. Once they are disturbed, and the asbestos fibers accumulate in the air, they may be inhaled in the body where the fibers then work their way into the tissues to cause cancer.

Why Is It Important To Know About Asbestos?

There are 2 reasons. First, preventative measures can be taken to ensure that your home or workplace are safe from asbestos.

However, if you believe you have already contracted mesothelioma, it is vital you remember your work history, specifically WHERE you believe you came into prolonged exposure to asbestos. This aids immensely in your mesothelioma lawsuit.

The content of this web site has not been prepared or endorsed by any physicians or other licensed medical or legal professionals. Nothing on this site should be taken as medical or legal advice. The purpose of this site is to provide victims and their loved ones with useful information and access to other resources.

Mesothelioma victims are encouraged to consult with their physician for medical advice and with a mesothelioma attorney for legal advice.