Maryland
Maryland has its share of industrial offenders in the world of asbestos exposure. Baltimore is number one in the number of asbestos related deaths for the state due to its elevated population, and it's exposure related injuries rate a bit higher than the national average despite its small size. Asbestos has been used for centuries to insulate, fire proof, and as a sound dampener. It had so many uses that it had become a revolutionary sort of miracle product that was added to nearly everything from floor tiling, to insulation, to clothing. Today we are working to eliminate the use of asbestos in consumer products, but that does not erase the exposures of the past, and the injuries that occur due to exposure sometimes take decades to come to light so we are can't even estimate the number of cases that we can predict to see for nearly another decade.
Shipyards
In the construction of ships there was plenty of use for asbestos. A fire when out on the ocean is a very serious, and deadly, situation. The fireproofing qualities of asbestos made it the perfect medium to insulate the pipes and compartments below deck. It was also used to help retard any fires that could be caused in the use of furnaces and flammable chemicals in the shipyard itself. The risk of exposure was not limited to those that actually constructed the ships, but also the men that manned it. The close quarters and aging materials would lead to inevitable exposure. When asbestos insulation crumbles the fibers can become airborne where sailors and workers can inhale them. As there is no safe level of exposure this is a dangerous reality for thousands of ship workers and servicemen.
Construction work, especially demolition and remodeling work are among the highest ranking of work related exposure sites. When a construction crew would come in prior to the EPA taking the reins in the battle against asbestos exposure they would employ several asbestos laden products, such as ceiling tiles, floor tiles, wall board and insulation. As they installed these materials they would be exposed to airborne fibers, but not so many as when they would come to a site to tear down homes, businesses, and municipal buildings. As asbestos was the wonder product that could save us all from the heat of the summer, the cold of the winter and the fire in our furnaces, it was everywhere, and when the buildings came down the dust would carry asbestos through the air to be inhaled by workers and the surrounding families. It would be carried home in the hair and clothing of the workers and expose the families of the workers as well.
If you have been exposed you should seek care by a medical professional that is aware of the exposure so as to keep your health monitored regularly for an development of symptoms of asbestosis, which reduces the function of the lungs and forms scar tissue within a healthy lung, and mesothelioma, which is a cancer that is developed due to exposure to carcinogenic asbestos fibers. Though asbestosis can be treated when caught in time, the survival rate for mesothelioma is much lower. Those that suffer from either of these illnesses should find legal representation to help them get the assistance that they need in affording proper care for themselves and their families.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
