Demolition work is essentially the opposite of construction. It involves tearing down old structures and buildings and clearing away the debris that’s left behind. The process is more complex than it sounds: demolition workers need a variety of certifications and familiarity with heavy equipment and power tools, and they need to be vigilant about all of the potential hazards involved with taking down a building. The most obvious dangers of demolition work are lack of structural integrity and building collapse, but legacy asbestos hidden within older structures’ components may pose a far greater risk. Demolition workers constantly face the risk of exposure to asbestos, making them vulnerable to being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.
How Are Demolition Workers Exposed to Asbestos?
At first glance, demolition work is fairly straightforward: it involves dismantling, knocking down, and destroying buildings or structures, or parts of buildings or structures. But the work is extremely dangerous and involves the same hazards associated with construction, as well as the additional hazards posed by what may be hidden within the walls of the structures being taken down.
Demolition is all about taking down the old to make room for the new. But buildings and structures constructed before the 1980s commonly made use of asbestos for fireproofing, soundproofing, and added durability. Though many buildings that were constructed using asbestos-containing materials have already gone through some level of asbestos abatement, asbestos continues to lurk in concrete, behind walls, wrapped around pipes, and enmeshed in equipment parts.
The risk of demolition in a structure containing asbestos is that the asbestos-containing materials will be crushed or cut, releasing microscopic fibers into the air where they can be inhaled and become embedded in the cells lining the lungs.
How Was Asbestos Used in Construction in the Past?
From the earliest days of the 20th century through the mid-to-late 1970s, asbestos was a common component of a building’s construction. The material offered many benefits, including being fire- and heat-resistant, adding significant strength and durability, and even offering soundproofing. Add those features to the mineral being inexpensive and accessible and it’s no wonder that it was included in so many building materials. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, construction components likely to be contaminated with asbestos included:[1]
- Roofing, siding, and shingles
- Block insulation
- Heating and cooling systems
- Floor tiles and vinyl flooring, backing, and mastic
- Adhesives
- Electrical insulation and panels
- Plaster, cement putties, taping compounds, and caulk
- Textured paints
- Appliance components
- Ceiling tiles and spray-on coatings
- Popcorn ceiling materials
- Attic insulation (vermiculite)
- Pipe, boiler, and duct insulation
- Wallboard
- Fireplace decorations
- Heat-resistant textiles
Are Demolition Workers Still at Risk of Asbestos Exposure?
With modern-day knowledge of the dangers of asbestos, it’s fair to assume that people who work in demolition are offered a high level of protection against the risk of exposure, and that employers take steps to protect their employees by assessing asbestos levels, marking off areas that pose risk, and using engineering controls such as ventilation systems to reduce levels of asbestos in the air. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and there are frequent reports of companies that put their workers – and anybody in the vicinity of an asbestos-contaminated building slated for demolition — at risk. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that roughly 1.3 million employees involved in repairs, renovation, removal, or maintenance of buildings in which asbestos-containing materials exist are at risk for exposure to asbestos.[2]
Demolition work can range from small-scale jobs involving renovation or repair to taking down enormous buildings like hospitals, hotels, or stadiums. When appropriate inspections and abatement have not been completed, all types of workers can be exposed to asbestos. Those at risk include:
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Engineers
- Insulators
- Crane operators
- Bulldozer operators
- Maintenance workers
It’s important to note that demolition work is not always planned: in cases of natural disasters or fires, the removal of damaged materials may be ordered on an emergent basis. Professionals and laymen alike need to take precautions to protect themselves from the risk of asbestos that may have been damaged during the disaster.
What Companies Allowed Asbestos to be Used in Construction Materials?
In many cases, the asbestos-containing materials that remain in buildings constructed before the mid-1980s were manufactured, supplied, and installed by companies that were aware of the dangers of asbestos but chose to keep the risk a secret so that they could continue making profits. These companies put profits over people, and have been held responsible in America’s courts for the damages that have resulted from their negligence and reckless disregard.
The list below includes many of the companies whose asbestos-contaminated materials may still be present in buildings today in the form of legacy asbestos:
- American Olean Tile Company
- Bestwall Gypsum
- Celotex
- C.E Thurston & Sons
- California Portland Cement
- Congoleum Corporation
- Flintkote Company
- Fuller-Austin Insulation
- Johns Manville
- Kentile Floors
- National Gypsum
- Owens Corning
- Synkoloid, previously Artra Group
- U.S. Mineral Products
- W.R. Grace
How Does Asbestos Exposure Harm Demolition Workers?
When asbestos fibers are disturbed as a result of demolition work, the fibrous mineral breaks down into microscopic particles that are released and float in the air, where they are easily inhaled. Once these needle-edged fibers enter the body and become embedded in the cells lining the pleural or peritoneal cavity, it is very hard for the body to expel them. In time, they kill their cellular host and then mutate into the scarring and tumors typical of asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma, and asbestos-related lung cancer or peritoneal mesothelioma. These diseases have long latency periods, so several decades can pass between exposure and symptoms beginning to appear. This means that demolition workers exposed today may not begin to feel sick until fifty or sixty years from now.
How Can Demolition Workers Be Protected from Asbestos Exposure?
Generally speaking, the best way to mitigate the issues and risks of asbestos exposure involved in demolition is to conduct a survey before the project begins to determine whether asbestos is present and put an asbestos management plan in place when it is. This includes bringing in licensed asbestos abatement professionals to handle removal and oversee the process to ensure that workers and the surrounding community are safe.
Methods for controlling exposure include:[1]
- Avoiding disturbing sources of asbestos until proper steps for assessment and control can be implemented.
- Never smoke, eat, or drink in areas where asbestos exposure is possible.
- Avoid dry sweeping, shoveling, or other dry clean-up of dust and debris containing asbestos.
- Wet materials before and during cutting, breaking, or other work that might release asbestos fibers into the air.
- Wear protective outer clothing that can be removed and cleaned or discarded.
- If work involving asbestos-containing materials must be done, use a NIOSH-approved respirator to protect workers from inhaling asbestos fibers.
- Wash exposed parts of the body with soap and water.
- Avoid carrying asbestos fibers out of a worksite where they can later be inhaled by others (e.g., secondary exposure of family members at home).
If demolition workers are exposed to airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers at or above OSHA’s exposure limits for a combined total of 30 or more days per year, or perform work that disturbs asbestos-containing material for a combined total of 30 or more days per year, or wear negative-pressure respirators, OSHA requires that they undergo medical monitoring. Also, demolition operations need to follow the provisions of the Asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants regulations, including having a certified asbestos abatement supervisor onsite and following individual state guidelines for certification of workers for asbestos removals.[1]
Additionally, demolition workers whose jobs involve exposure to asbestos should be trained in the risks of asbestos so that they understand:[1]
- Health effects associated with asbestos exposure
- The relationship between smoking and asbestos exposure in the development of lung cancer
- The quantity, location, manner of use, release, and storage of asbestos and the specific nature of operations that could result in exposure to asbestos
- The engineering controls and work practices associated with the worker’s job assignment
- The specific procedures implemented to protect workers from exposure to asbestos, such as appropriate work practices, emergency and clean-up procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used
- The purpose, proper use, and limitations of respirators and protective clothing, if appropriate
- The purpose and description of the medical surveillance program required by OSHA standards.
Can Demolition Workers Receive Compensation for Illnesses Caused by Asbestos Exposure?
Demolition workers who are diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases following exposure during a demolition project may be eligible for compensation for the harm that they’ve suffered. The options for pursuing justice include:
- Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit. Personal injury lawsuits can be filed against the companies whose asbestos-containing products made you sick. Though worker’s compensation laws generally protect employers from personal injury lawsuits, these prohibitions may be waived when an employer’s neglect of protections for their employees is egregious and represents either recklessness or malicious disregard for their wellbeing.
- Filing a Claim Against an Asbestos Trust Fund. Many of the companies that manufactured, distributed, or sold asbestos-containing materials were forced into bankruptcy by their asbestos liabilities. As a result, they were required to establish trust funds for the benefit of existing and future harms caused by their products.
If you worked on a demolition project that exposed you to legacy asbestos and you’ve since been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, a mesothelioma attorney will be your best resource for information about your options.
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