Fire Dampers
There is no doubt that fire is dangerous and deadly. Each year, fires in homes and commercial buildings kill thousands. In many instances, the fires could have been avoided if the individuals responsible for safety had taken just a few simple precautions.
Throughout most of the twentieth century, fire safety officials turned to asbestos-containing products to protect individuals from the dangers of fire and smoke. Many items designed to stop the spread of fire were fashioned from asbestos or asbestos-containing materials and these were installed in homes and buildings worldwide. One such item was the fire damper. Fire dampers are components that are installed in an air distribution system between two fire separating compartments and are designed to prevent spread of fire and or smoke.
Engineers that designed these components were convinced that asbestos was the right material for fire dampers. After all, time and again, the durable mineral had proven that it could stand the test of hot temperatures and flames. However, though asbestos certainly did its job in regards to fire protection, dangers were omnipresent as long as asbestos was being used.
Asbestos – in and of itself – is a dangerous mineral, and for decades, those who knew of its dangers did not share that information with others. That means individuals who worked with fire dampers, such as HVAC workers or those who manufactured the components, were subject to asbestos exposure that may have been slowly destroying their health.
Any time a fire damper or other asbestos-containing component is cut, sawed, or somehow damaged, it releases small asbestos fibers. These fibers can be inhaled by those nearby and subsequently become lodged in the pleura, the lining of the lungs. Eventually, the sharp fibers cause inflammation and scarring and can result in diseases such as asbestosis or mesothelioma.
Records show that company executives at factories that manufactured asbestos products like fire dampers and sold them to end users often knew of the dangers of the mineral but covered up the facts. Because of these secrets, hundreds of workers through the years developed the aforementioned asbestos diseases. Many have already passed away.
If you have mesothelioma because of your exposure to asbestos-containing fire dampers and you believe you may be a victim of the asbestos cover-up scandal, you may have a right to monetary compensation. For more information on your legal rights and for details about mesothelioma and its treatment, order our free mesothelioma information kit.
