asbestos has diminished the quality of lifeóimpairing breathing and causing intense pain or discomfort. In more than a dozen cases, Local 148 members have died of mesothelioma and asbestos related lung cancer.
These are high numbers for a workforce of this size, and you, as a Local 148 member, rightly should want to know all you can about the dangers of asbestos exposure. Fortunately, you have an active and knowledgeable local union that strives to keep you informed and to protect you from asbestos hazards. Your union has demanded and won safeguards against asbestos exposure, it encourages calling in OSHA where violations are suspected, and it consistently seeks to reinforce education about asbestos.
Today Local 148 members working in power plants have stringent procedures in place for working around asbestos, and union employees as well as company personnel receive formal training in the handling of hazardous materials.Thus, much of the information that follows in this article you may already know. I hope this is the case. But if there is any information that is new to you, that helps you understand asbestos a little bit more, then the time you spend reading this article will be worthwhile. Keep in mind that a workforce is never static. New employees are hired, and some workers may transfer to the power plants from other areas. Education is an ongoing process. Also,we need to consider that all of us, including our family members and friends, have some potential for exposure, even though we may not be employed in a high-risk occupation. I encourage you to share this article with others.
With that introduction, letís review some of the basics about asbestos and assess the risks we
face.
Once inside our bodies, they can cause asbestosis, lung disease and mesothelioma.
These are high numbers for a workforce of this size, and you, as a Local 148 member, rightly should want to know all you can about the dangers of asbestos exposure. Fortunately, you have an active and knowledgeable local union that strives to keep you informed and to protect you from asbestos hazards. Your union has demanded and won safeguards against asbestos exposure, it encourages calling in OSHA where violations are suspected, and it consistently seeks to reinforce education about asbestos.
Today Local 148 members working in power plants have stringent procedures in place for working around asbestos, and union employees as well as company personnel receive formal training in the handling of hazardous materials.Thus, much of the information that follows in this article you may already know. I hope this is the case. But if there is any information that is new to you, that helps you understand asbestos a little bit more, then the time you spend reading this article will be worthwhile. Keep in mind that a workforce is never static. New employees are hired, and some workers may transfer to the power plants from other areas. Education is an ongoing process. Also,we need to consider that all of us, including our family members and friends, have some potential for exposure, even though we may not be employed in a high-risk occupation. I encourage you to share this article with others.
With that introduction, letís review some of the basics about asbestos and assess the risks we
face.
WHAT MAKES ASBESTOS DANGEROUS?
Asbestos is a mineral that is abundant, cheap to mine and extremely heat and flame resistant. It is also nearly indestructible. These qualities made asbestos an excellent choice for insulating boilers, piping, and furnaces and for hundreds of other uses where protection from heat or flame is needed. Asbestos has even been used in baby bottle warmers. The problem with asbestos is that it has a peculiar trait. Unlike other minerals, it does not turn to dust when crushed or broken; instead, it turns into tiny fibers that are invisible to the naked eye. These fibers are so small that they float in the air for long periods, where they can be inhaled or swallowed. They can easily lodge in our lungs, throat and stomach.Once inside our bodies, they can cause asbestosis, lung disease and mesothelioma.
WHO IS AT HIGHEST RISK?
Anyone who has had repeated or prolonged exposure to asbestos is at risk of developing an asbestos
disease. But just because you have been exposed does not mean you will definitely develop a disease. Some people do; others do not. The medical community does not know why this is so.
Although asbestos disease may take as long as 45 years to develop, some people develop the disease in as little as 15 years. Thus, a person who begins their career at age 21 could conceivably suffer an asbestos disease by age 36. Most of the cases I have handled have involved retired workers. But some active workers also have been diagnosed. And I also see some cases where middle-age Local 148 family members have contracted mesothelioma or lung cancer. It would be wrong to think
that asbestos disease only affects older, retired workers. Those of us who specialize in asbestos casesóboth in the legal and the medical professionsóare very much aware that some occupational groups have a much higher incidence of asbestos disease than other work groups. Construction trades, asbestos manufacturing workers, and power plant employees are among the high risk groups. All of these occupations regularly work around asbestos.
disease. But just because you have been exposed does not mean you will definitely develop a disease. Some people do; others do not. The medical community does not know why this is so.
Although asbestos disease may take as long as 45 years to develop, some people develop the disease in as little as 15 years. Thus, a person who begins their career at age 21 could conceivably suffer an asbestos disease by age 36. Most of the cases I have handled have involved retired workers. But some active workers also have been diagnosed. And I also see some cases where middle-age Local 148 family members have contracted mesothelioma or lung cancer. It would be wrong to think
that asbestos disease only affects older, retired workers. Those of us who specialize in asbestos casesóboth in the legal and the medical professionsóare very much aware that some occupational groups have a much higher incidence of asbestos disease than other work groups. Construction trades, asbestos manufacturing workers, and power plant employees are among the high risk groups. All of these occupations regularly work around asbestos.
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