Industrial Plant Workers and Asbestos
The nation's industrial plants have long been the lifeblood of the country. If not for the mass manufacturing of goods that takes place at these plants, Americans may very well need to go without the items they've become so accustomed to having at their fingertips.
In definition, an industrial plant is a factory that is largely responsible for the manufacture of goods at a mass production level, frequently employing mechanical or chemical processes. The industrial plant worker may be asked to perform any number of duties, from cutting to smelting and everything in between, depending on the particulars of each specific plant.
Industrial plant workers are also often responsible for the installation, repair, and maintenance of the heavy machinery and other equipment inside the plant, such as pipes that carry liquid and gas necessary for production.
Because of the kinds of jobs they do, industrial plant workers often put themselves and their health at risk. Noxious chemicals and other hazardous materials, such as asbestos, are often present in industrial plants, even decades after asbestos warnings were issued by the U.S. government. In these plants, asbestos can be found in such common items as pipes and gaskets, boilers and blast furnaces, walls, floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, and more. Asbestos dust can be released from any of these items, especially during the acts of sanding, drilling, sawing, cutting, and any other processes that might damage already fragile asbestos.
For decades, industrial plant workers did their jobs without benefit of any sort of protective gear or clothing. The lack of masks or respirators made asbestos inhalation a common occurrence among industrial plant workers and many have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases 40-50 years after their exposure.
Exposure to asbestos at an industrial plant is still a very real possibility, especially inside plants that have not been renovated or upgraded in the last few decades. Anyone asked to perform tasks that require the manipulation of asbestos-containing materials should report the presence of asbestos to management and/or their union representative and employees should always wear a mask or respirator when in the presence of potentially hazardous asbestos products.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
