California Asbestos Exposure
Throughout the United States, including California, asbestos exposure has been linked to a number of health issues of varying severity. Exposure to the carcinogenic mineral can cause skin irritation, lung scarring (fibrosis), asbestosis, asbestos lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.
Asbestos exposure was common throughout the 20th century because of the widespread use of asbestos in a number of industrial and commercial products. Asbestos is a highly flexible and heat-resistant material that serves as an excellent insulator. In addition to insulation, asbestos has been used in a wide range of products, including hair dryers, irons, baby powder, agricultural fillers and flooring materials.
Occupational Asbestos Exposure
Occupational asbestos exposure was extremely common throughout the 20th century and remains a threat today. From asbestos mining facilities and the factories in which asbestos-laden products were manufactured to the construction and automotive industries, occupational asbestos exposure was widespread.
The combination of poorly ventilated facilities and excessive levels of airborne asbestos served as a breeding ground for disaster. Although knowledge of the dangers associated with asbestos exposure was limited prior to asbestos regulation, many asbestos product manufacturers and mining companies were aware of the hazards. Rather than alert their employees or provide adequate safety measures, they instead opted to protect business interests by remaining silent. The consequences were devastating. Asbestos exposure is known to cause an incurable disease, mesothelioma, and a number of potentially fatal lung disorders, including asbestosis. The occurrences of these diseases increased dramatically in the 1960’s and 1970’s as asbestos gained wider use, but the companies producing and using asbestos took no steps to protect their employees from exposure to this hazardous material. Even today, new cases of mesothelioma continue to be diagnosed at a high rate. Because of the long incubation period of asbestos related diseases, victim’s who were exposed to asbestos many decades ago, can now develop these devastating diseases and have no idea what caused them to become sick.
Secondary Asbestos Exposure
Workers employed in industries involving asbestos were not the only people exposed to asbestos. Sadly, many people with whom they were in close contact were also affected.
Secondary asbestos exposure refers to indirect exposure to asbestos. This was most commonly associated with the family members of those faced with occupational asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers would become trapped in a worker’s clothes, skin or hair, transporting the carcinogenic material from the workplace to the home.
Asbestos Inhalation
Asbestos is a friable mineral, meaning that it easily crumbles. When asbestos is disturbed, fragmented asbestos fibers are released into the air, creating a hazardous atmosphere. When inhaled, asbestos microfibers can pass through the natural filtration system of the lungs and become embedded in the lung tissue.
The body’s natural defense mechanisms attempt to destroy the foreign asbestos fibers by releasing immune cells called macrophages. However, asbestos is an extremely durable material that cannot be destroyed by the body’s defenses. Nonetheless, the body attempts to destroy the asbestos fibers by continuously releasing macrophages. This can cause severe scarring of the lung tissue, which in turn reduces lung capacity.
Asbestos embedded in the lung tissue eventually leads to the development of asbestosis, asbestos lung cancer or pleural mesothelioma. Inhaled asbestos fibers can also pass into the bloodstream, where they can cause pericardial mesothelioma, or into the abdomen, where they can cause peritoneal mesothelioma.
Asbestos Regulation
Growing public awareness and general concern over the health hazards associated with asbestos exposure led to the first steps toward regulation of the carcinogenic mineral in the early 1970s. The Environmental Protection Agency issued an asbestos phase out rule that banned virtually all products containing asbestos materials in 1989.
Unfortunately, regulation does little to quell the effects of asbestos products currently in use. Many people are unaware of the presence of asbestos in their old cars, homes, and products. Although steps have been taken to ensure that asbestos is not used as a component in most products, the risk of asbestos exposure remains.
Asbestos Removal
Asbestos was a common insulation material used in homes built before asbestos regulation went into effect. Many homes throughout the United States remain lined with asbestos insulation materials. It seems logical that the safest thing to do would be to remove and replace this potentially dangerous insulation, or demolish the building. In actuality, nothing could be further from the truth.
Asbestos removal is a major process that can cause the release of dangerous levels of asbestos into the air. Asbestos insulation is not a health hazard as long as the asbestos remains undisturbed. Only once asbestos is exposed does it pose a threat. If asbestos insulation has been damaged, removal is still not recommended. Rather, repairing the damage is considerably easier and safer than removal.
If asbestos removal is required, or if an asbestos-laden building is being demolished, environmental specialists are typically involved. These specialists are trained in asbestos removal and can limit the amount of asbestos that is released into the atmosphere.
Our attorneys are gifted California mesothelioma lawyers who have filed a number of mesothelioma lawsuits in California and across the country. These lawsuits have helped our clients to receive compensation for the devastating illnesses caused by asbestos exposure.
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Levin Simes Kaiser & Gornick, LLP
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San Francisco, CA 94104
Ph: 1.800.901.4001
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