Impact Of Asbestos Disease On Workers
Asbestos Disease Is A Ticking Time Bomb!
Asbestos Disease Is A Ticking Time Bomb
It’s a time bomb. If it gets to that stage doctors said I might just have five or six months to live. The worry is not knowing. It’s like there’s a gun held to your head and you don’t know when the trigger is going to be pulled. (Willie Stewart, British painter commenting on his asbestos disease diagnosis
Recently, Mold B Gone, began offering asbestos testing and removal services. We are dedicated to ensuring that our customers in the Atlanta metropolitan area live in mold free homes and are now pleased to offer further peace of mind because we can also address any questions you may have about asbestos and the potential impact it could have on your health.
Asbestos Exposure and the Significance of Labor Day!
In 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday. Labor Day was created to celebrate the social and economic contributions made by workers. Today, we honor that tradition and celebrate American workers, but it’s important to remember there is another reason we must observe this day. We must honor the workers, who in their efforts to support their families, lost their lives from exposure to toxins like asbestos on the job.
Sadly, the number one cause of occupational-related cancer continues to be asbestos exposure, despite the fact that peak use of asbestos was more than 30 years ago. Indeed, it is estimated that 27 million workers were exposed to airborne asbestos fibers between 1940 and 1979. The tragic fact about asbestos exposure is that it is a hidden killer because the latency period for developing mesothelioma cancer is 20 to 50 years.
Worldwide, about 125 million people in the world are exposed to asbestos at the workplace and it is believed that 107,000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.
Myths and Facts About Asbestos!
The video below uncovers the most prominent myths:
1. Asbestos is no longer a problem. Yes it is!
2. Mesothelioma only affects the elderly. Not true!
3. Asbestos is safe with minimal exposure. No it is not!
Asbestos Does Not Just Affect Workers!
A newspaper in the UK refers to asbestos disease as a ticking time bomb because the “period between asbestos exposure and contraction of diseases is long – usually between 25 and 50 years.”
Tradespeople are not the only ones at risk of asbestos-related diseases. An increasing number of cases involving white-collar workers (teachers, doctors and office workers) who worked in environments containing asbestos are now beginning to get asbestos diseases.
A New Generation of Asbestos Victims!
In the United States, U.S. Rep. John Katko wants to set up a national mesothelioma patient registry: Mary Jo Lawyer Spano Mesothelioma Patient Registry Act. The legislation is named in honor of Spano, a Syracuse woman who died in 2014 after a four-year battle with mesothelioma. Spano was exposed to asbestos fibers that collected on her father, Charles Lawyer’s body and clothes when he was an employee for an elevator company and was exposed to asbestos. Spano’s father also suffered from mesothelioma.
The purpose of the bill is to assist in the development of treatments standards for patients and help doctors share information about the disease to improve care at mesothelioma clinics:
Unlike many chronic and rare diseases, there is currently no national registry available for mesothelioma patients. These registries collect and consolidate information about individuals who suffer from the disease and provide health care professionals, researchers and patients with the ability to search information about diagnosis, as well as track disease trends, risk factors and treatment availability. In addition to promoting and coordinating research efforts to better treat and combat mesothelioma, the creation of a national registry will help raise awareness and advocacy, expand resources and support networks, and provide hope for families like those of Mary Jo Lawyer Spano. (U.S. Rep. John Katko)
As highlighted by the Spano case, a new generation of victims is emerging of individuals that never worked with asbestos, but were unknowingly exposed.
Pulitzer prize winning investigative journalist, Gary Cohn, wrote an article, “Daughters of the Dust: The Changing Face of Mesothelioma,” which documents the fact that women are developing mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos dust from their father’s work clothes.
The basic problem with asbestos is that there is no safe level of exposure and since it is not yet banned in many countries, it is clear that the impact of asbestos disease is not just on workers, but also individuals that are unknowingly exposed to asbestos: children, spouses, and white collar workers exposed to asbestos in their working environments.
What Is The Long Term Impact Of Asbestos Exposure?
The American Journal of Industrial Medicine documented the number of lost life years caused by asbestosis and mesothelioma in the world:
- 128,015 people died of mesothelioma in 82 countries.
- 13,885 died of asbestosis in 55 countries.
- A total of 2.18 million potential years of life lost to mesothelioma and 180,000 potential years of life lost to asbestosis.
- On average, each person who died of mesothelioma lost 17 potential years of life, while those who died of asbestosis lost 13.0 potential years of life.
- The current burden of asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) in terms of potential years of life is substantial.
- The future burden of ARDs can be eliminated by stopping the use of asbestos.
Putting this into perspective, in the United States, 15,000 asbestos related deaths occur each year, resulting in 255,000 lost potential years of life.
Below are two infographics.
The first infographic highlights the professions with the highest risk of asbestos exposure.
The second infographic provides you with some further statistics related to workers affected by mesothelioma.
Got Asbestos Questions?
If you have questions about asbestos or suspect that you may have asbestos in your home or workplace and are considering renovating, please call Mold B Gone, 678-697-6267 or send us an e-mail. We look forward to serving you! 🙂
Professions With The Highest Risk For Asbestos Exposure
Professions With The Highest Risk For Asbestos Exposure
Workers Affected by Mesothelioma
Workers Affected by Mesothelioma
