Labor Unions and Asbestos Exposure
Page Edited by Patient Advocate Dave Foster This page has been fact checked by an experienced mesothelioma Patient Advocate. Sources of information are listed at the bottom of the article.
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Labor unions protect the interests of its members, often working to improve pay and working conditions. Lately, unions have gotten a lot of push back, with corporate executives and politicians both trying to weaken or eliminate them. However, unions continue to play an important role in worker safety, including safety from dangerous asbestos.
Although asbestos is strictly regulated, it can still be found in some workplaces, requiring proper protection for those working around it. Unions are organizations that fight for safety, often in the form of proper safety training and protective gear. They also stop employers from violating federal worker safety rules. Weak unions put the health of workers at serious risk and the incidence of mesothelioma and other illnesses could increase.
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Asbestos, Mesothelioma, and Other Illnesses
Asbestos is a natural fibrous mineral that was used in a variety of industries for many years. It was commonly used for many applications because it is inexpensive, readily available, and has a number of useful qualities. These qualities include lightweight durability and resistance to heat, fire, and electricity.
Unfortunately asbestos was used for many years before its dangers were well understood. When tiny asbestos fibers get into the body, they can become lodged in delicate tissues. Asbestos fibers damage cells and cause illnesses such as:[1]
- Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma is a rare but often deadly cancer that affects the thin layers of tissue surrounding organs in the body. It most often affects the pleura around the lungs. Mesothelioma can also occur around the heart (pericardial) or in the abdominal cavity (peritoneal). Mesothelioma is normally diagnosed decades after asbestos exposure and has often advanced beyond effective treatment. It is aggressive and almost impossible to cure.
- Lung cancer: Asbestos fibers lodged in the chest cavity may also cause lung cancer. Because mesothelioma is rare, it is often misdiagnosed as lung cancer.
- Asbestosis: Asbestosis is the scarring of lung tissue caused by asbestos fibers. It is not malignant but can ultimately be fatal. It progresses over time, making breathing increasingly difficult, and there is no cure.
Types of Asbestos
Different types of asbestos can harm people in different ways. Chrysotile (white) asbestos is the most common type of asbestos and was commonly used in construction materials, pipe insulation, gaskets, car clutches, and brakes. Amosite (brown) asbestos was most often used in cement or insulating board. Crocidolite (blue) asbestos was used in steam engines and in spray-on coatings and insulation. Anthophyllite and tremolite were not used much in commercial products, but often contaminate other types of asbestos. All asbestos is dangerous, but brown and blue asbestos cause the worst damage to human health.[1]
Asbestos Use in the American Workplace
Millions of American workers were put at risk for asbestos exposure and subsequent illness during its widespread industrial use. Because of its unique properties, asbestos was commonly used in fireproofing, insulation, and materials that needed to be strengthened. Industries that used asbestos include construction, shipbuilding, manufacturing, automotive production, power production and distribution, oil refining, and many others. Asbestos was regularly used to manufacture cement, insulation, car parts, gaskets, fire-protective clothing, plasters, adhesives, and many other commercial and industrial products.[1]
Federal Asbestos Regulations
Although asbestos was used for many years, it wasn’t until the 1960s that people began to understand its damaging effects on the human body. Even so, federal regulations were not enacted or enforced until the 1970s. These agencies include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).[2]
EPA regulations manage school inspections, asbestos clean-up, and acceptable amounts of asbestos in the air and water. OSHA regulations protect workers by setting permissible asbestos exposure limits as well as standards for asbestos use on construction sites. The MSHA regulates exposure limits and respiratory protective gear for miners who could encounter asbestos deposits.
Unions Impacted by Asbestos
Because asbestos was used so extensively in a number of industries, many unions and their members have been affected. Some of these include:
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
- United Steelworkers Union
- International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers
- United Auto Workers
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
- United Mine Workers of America, AFL-CIO
- United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers
- International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers
- Utility Workers Union of America
- International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO
The Role of Unions in Protecting Workers
A labor union should protect the interests of workers. This includes fighting for fair wages, decent benefits, and safe working conditions. This also includes safety from the harms of asbestos. Businesses often put profits before people, and it is the union’s role to fight back and demand safe workplaces.
Unions have long fought asbestos, calling for bans or better safety gear and training, often with mixed results. For many years union voices were not heard; however, today some are improving workplaces and even changing laws. The United Steelworkers Union recently lobbied Congress to amend federal laws to better protect workers. The union believes current laws do not effectively protect workers from toxic chemicals and compounds, including asbestos.[3]
International unions are also working to protect workers from asbestos. The International Trade Union Confederation recently urged a ban on international chrysotile asbestos trade. Chrysotile asbestos is the most common type used in commercial industries and products. The group cites the harm asbestos continues to cause workers around the world, especially in poor countries.[4]
Because asbestos is still used and found in older facilities, workers still need protection. Unions have been criticized, but have proven effective in establishing safer working conditions, better training, proper safety gear, improved medical care, and employer accountability. If unions continue to decline, harm from asbestos may increase.
Page Edited by Patient Advocate Dave Foster
Dave has been a mesothelioma Patient Advocate for over 10 years. He consistently attends all major national and international mesothelioma meetings. In doing so, he is able to stay on top of the latest treatments, clinical trials, and research results. He also personally meets with mesothelioma patients and their families and connects them with the best medical specialists and legal representatives available.