Florida
Several materials were constructed from asbestos, from clothing to floor tiles, as well as insulation and fireproofing. The unfortunate reality is that there is no way to tell how many more will develop symptoms until we reach an anticipated peak in 2015, as asbestos related diseases can lie dormant for decades. If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos or has worked closely with vermiculite, then they should be screened by a medical professional.
Shipyards
Shipyards are notorious for their use of asbestos in their efforts to help keep the workers and structures safe long before we were aware of the actual dangers that this substance. There was great need for fireproofing in this industry considering the use of blast furnaces and flammable chemicals. The unfortunate consequence of using asbestos in the field is that they were unknowingly inviting lung disease and cancer on themselves and their workers. Asbestos insulated the boilers, hot water pipes, steam pipes and surrounded incinerators. The sailors that worked on the boats were open to exposure in confined spaces from such insulation as well.
Vermiculite
There are several sites dedicated to processing vermiculite in Florida, the most common process that they perform is called "popping" where they exfoliate the vermiculite for use in fireproofing and insulation. The vermiculite that made up the bulk of the processing in the years before 1993 was brought in from Libby, Montana. This is a mine that was found to deliver vermiculite that was heavily contaminated with asbestos. The workers that perform this task today are still at risk as the vermiculite that is brought in from Virginia has been taken from mines that have a likelihood of contamination as well based on testing that was conducted in 2000. Any workers that are exposed to vermiculite dust should consider being examined for any asbestos related ailments, as well as keeping their general health monitored regularly.
Power Generation Plants
In power plants, workers were often exposed to excessive heat, and the pipes required insulation, you would find the same fireproofing measures in a power plant as you would in a ship yard, and due to the size of Florida, it is natural that you would need to have several power plants to generate the energy to keep a state with such a large population lit. Persons that wore protective gear made out of asbestos were exposed every time they were near a worn or torn piece of asbestos fabric. If they were close to a frayed piece of asbestos pipe insulation or a fireproof tile that had been broken, then they would be exposed even more so. There's no such thing as a "safe" level of asbestos exposure.
One source of asbestos exposure that is specific to only Florida is the NASA facilities. Due to the nature of their operations, including working with combustible fuels, they had great need for fireproofing and insulation. They would use a block of asbestos as a soldering stand. The highest risk occupation for asbestos exposure historically as well as today is construction. In remodels and demolitions of the past we did not have knowledge of the dangers of tearing apart materials that could potentially be laden with asbestos, we didn't know that the dust could mean asbestosis, an ailment causing reduced lung function due to scar tissue from the asbestos exposure, or mesothelioma, a cancer caused by the carcinogenic asbestos fibers being buried in the body's soft tissues.
This is just a small sampling of possible asbestos exposure sites. If you or a loved one has been employed in any of the above capacities, you should consider them at high risk and seek immediate screening, as well as follow up care. With the proper guidance, you may be able to receive legal remedies to help you pay for the medical expenses that you will endure if you have been exposed, and hopefully give you and your family a little peace of mind as you battle an asbestos related illness.
Last modified: December 09 2009.
