A controversy is brewing in the city of San Diego, as photos obtained through a public records request suggest that city workers are at significant risk of malignant mesothelioma. The images reveal that city workers have handled crumbling asbestos pipes without the benefit of respirators or other protective equipment on multiple occasions.
Asbestos Advocacy Leader Calls Mesothelioma Risk Staggering
Between the 1930s and 1980s, the mineral asbestos was constantly mixed into construction materials because of its characteristic durability and fireproofing abilities, but that stopped suddenly when it was discovered to be carcinogenic and the cause of malignant mesothelioma. Cement was frequently combined with the material, and crumbling, broken pipes made from asbestos cement were what San Diego city workers have been handling without the benefit of protection. A local San Diego station obtained photos and published them.
Speaking of the more than 100 photos of crumbling pipes, many showing workers cutting them, digging them, and replacing them without protection, Linda Reinstein, co-founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and herself a mesothelioma widow herself, called it “staggering” to see workers cutting asbestos pipes without appropriate protection.
Asbestos Expert Fears Workers’ Future Health and Risk of Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is largely considered an occupational disease that has been linked to the original installation of asbestos-containing materials, repairs and maintenance, and later exposure to legacy asbestos during removal and demolition. According to Dr. Arthur Frank, an expert on asbestos disease at Drexel University in Philadelphia, “I fear for the workers first of all, who put in but even those that now have to come and remove the broken pieces of pipe. I’ve seen disease develop in workers who have removed and worked with, as waste, asbestos cement pipe.”
The city responded to the publication of the photos by sending a copy of its internal policy, which says that “it is safe to handle asbestos concrete pipe that is in good condition without wearing additional personal protective equipment,” but Linda Reinstein expressed continued concern, saying, “As a mesothelioma widow, I would say that’s ridiculous. Every worker should assume that those pipes are dangerous and have the proper training and the PPE that is required to keep them safe.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
