Maine
Maine has one of the highest numbers of asbestos related deaths and injuries with over three times the national average based on a 2004 study. There are several sites that have an elevated risk associated with them in Maine, including asbestos mines. Asbestos exposure can lead to asbestosis, which is decreased function of the lung due to asbestos exposure, as well as mesothelioma, which is a cancer specific to carcinogenic asbestos fibers. Sometimes the symptoms of these illnesses take years, or even decades, to rear their heads, so if you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos recently or in the past your primary care physician should be made aware. Early detection is key fighting asbestos related disease
Power Generation Plants
Maine has several working power generation plants, which are rich with asbestos products, such as insulation to protect both the workers and the sensitive machinery. There are extremes of hot and cold in power generation plants, and the electrical components and persons that handle the equipment need to be protected in such an environment. Asbestos was the best option at the time that most plants were constructed to act as the insulator that they so needed. From the steam pipes to the employees themselves, asbestos was used nearly to excess, and as the insulators and protective equipment began to age and fray or crumble, the workers became subject to the fibers that were exposed.
Shipyards
Maine had its share of shipyards, where blast furnaces and flammable chemicals were handled daily. In the construction of ships themselves, you could find asbestos in the floors, ceilings, walls, or wherever you may expect there to be prolonged exposure to heat or a fire risk. As many ships were built for military purposes, the amount of asbestos used in assembly was extensive and used in just about everything below deck. The workers that would be responsible for constructing the ship as well as the sailors that would end up below deck for any amount of time, which would be all of them should the vessel be manned at sea, were all exposed to any asbestos materials that were not intact. All wear and tear that the insulating materials sustained created more and more risk of exposure for those involved in its construction and operation.
Asbestos miners, even when wearing nose and mouth protection, such as respirator masks, were not protected fully from the airborne asbestos that is stirred up from the mining of asbestos. The miners that worked in these mines prior to the dangers of asbestos coming to light breathed in large quantities of asbestos in poorly ventilated mines, and when they came home for the evening they would have asbestos fibers clinging to their hair and their clothing that would then be spread throughout the house. At the time there were more women serving as housewives and they would be exposed to a very high concentration of asbestos when they would launder the work clothing for their husbands, and a similar situation was experienced with those in construction.
Construction workers would tear through the asbestos laden walls, floors, and ceilings in the businesses, homes, and municipal structures prior to the dangers being made known. The dust that would be produced would hang in the air, blow through the surrounding areas, and cling to the clothing and hair of the working men that manned these sites. Remodeling and demolition teams were especially at risk.
If you have been exposed to asbestos recently or in the past you should seek medical attention as above, and if you should ever experience health problems due to asbestos exposure, you should reach out to local legal resources that specialize in such cases. You may be entitled to financial remedies that will help you afford the quality care that you and your family deserve.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
