Mechanics who maintained and repaired commercial and military planes before the 1980s were exposed to asbestos in numerous parts and products installed in the aircraft. Brake pads and heat shields were particularly dangerous, but asbestos exposure came from multiple sources, including the clothing and textiles meant to protect the workers from being burned by hot engine parts. Many
Fort Shafter is the headquarters of the United States Army Pacific and, at over 100 years old, is the oldest military base on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. Designated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark and noted for its distinctive Palm Circle, the majority of the site was constructed in the 1940s when the
Hercules Chemical Company is a manufacturer and marketer of chemical and specialty products used by the commercial plumbing and heating industry. Some of the more-than-century-old company’s earliest products included asbestos that sickened thousands of those who used it or were exposed to it. As a result of claims filed by people diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma
In a recent post on the online medical resource OncLive, the director of the New York Mesothelioma Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai discussed the challenges of randomized controlled trials in assessing the role of surgery in treating the rare form of cancer. Andrea Wolf, MD, MPH, pointed to issues in
Welding is one of the highest-risk occupations for asbestos exposure. Until asbestos use was discontinued, welders faced risks from asbestos incorporated in welding rods, pipes, and safety gear, and today’s welders are at risk from legacy asbestos found in older tools, products, and equipment, as well as in industrial settings and construction sites. Inhaling asbestos fibers from any of
An official website of the European Union (EU) marked Mesothelioma Awareness Day (September 26th) with an article reviewing the most recent statistics on the impact of the rare asbestos-related disease on the EU population.
Duro Dyne Corporation is a manufacturer of sheet metal accessories and equipment for the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry. Many of the most popular products sold from the early 1950s to about 1978 contained asbestos and have been linked to numerous people being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. To address
Asbestos exposure puts people at risk for several significant illnesses, with malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis representing the most commonly diagnosed. While mesothelioma, a rare and fatal form of cancer, is considered the most serious of these diseases, all three are life-changing. The degree to which even the least life-threatening of these illnesses
For the better part of the 20th century, plumbers and pipefitters were constantly exposed to the carcinogenic mineral asbestos. The material was routinely used in the products these tradesmen used to install, repair, and replace plumbing systems and pipes. They also worked in buildings alongside other workers who were using asbestos-containing materials. This exposure put them at
As an occupation, painting has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as “carcinogenic to humans.” There are many reasons for this, but one of the most troubling is the significant exposure to asbestos both during the years when the material was being used and in the present day when painters continue to work