Kentucky
Kentucky has no known natural deposit sites for asbestos. However, that does not mean that it does not have its share of exposure sites. Kentucky was hardly immune to the insulation fiber that took the country by storm. Asbestos was a miracle product of sorts, it was economical, it provided insulation of both heat and electricity, and it was flame retardant. It could be woven into fabrics as well as pressed into tiles, so it was found everywhere, construction materials, home and industrial insulation, and even pajamas. The risks of exposure were not well known until people began to be was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a malignant cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
Oil Refineries
In Kentucky oil refineries there were countless uses for asbestos, including fire suits for the workers to keep their bodies safe. Asbestos was in the insulation as well as in the building materials themselves. There were electrical housings, pipes, tanks, and furnaces that needed to be insulated or fire proofed, and asbestos laden products seemed to be the best options for the job. As the insulation and fire proofing saw wear the fibers became airborne for unsuspecting workers to inhale or ingest. Even the fire suits that they were wearing were exposure risks, especially if the fabric was torn. The asbestos safety gear was not replaced for minor wear and tears, so workers would be exposed on a daily basis.
Power Generation Plants
Power generation plants are a very common offender in exposing workers to asbestos fibers. As with other industries, they employed asbestos in their protective gear. The steam pipes would be insulated by asbestos, as well as electrical components. In the name of safety and fire prevention, asbestos was used heavily in power generation plants. When the insulation became old and would crumble, the workers would inhale the fibers that became airborne as a result. The persons that wore the protective gear that was heavy with asbestos were none the wiser of the risks that was in their lockers day in and day out.
Another place where workers were constantly being exposed to asbestos fibers is construction sites. Before the EPA took over testing and abatement of asbestos, the workers were not aware of the danger that was associated with tearing into a demolition or remodelling job. When older materials came down, the dust that resulted would be laced with asbestos fibers for the workers and the neighbors to inhale. Even when they were installing the asbestos products in the home, the workers were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos, as there is no safe exposure. Asbestos can lead to asbestosis, a condition where there is reduced lung capacity due to scarring that is directly related to asbestos, as well as mesothelioma, which is a cancer that is caused by the carcinogenic asbestos fibers. It is a malignant cancer and it spreads to other vital organs outside of the lung, and it can occur in those that have suffered asbestosis in the past.
The conditions above can take several years, even decades to develop. If you know someone that has been exposed to asbestos they should seek medical advice immediately. Their physician should be made aware of the exposure, and should any symptoms of the complications above arise, legal advice should be sought. With the right legal action, they may be able to get financial remedies to help pay for the care that they will require in the future.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
