Texas
Asbestos occurs naturally in a few areas of Texas. Any state that has natural deposits of asbestos is likely to have cases of individuals being exposed to this dangerous material. Because asbestos is made up of tiny fibers, it is possible for people to be around it and inhale it without even knowing.
Breathing in asbestos can cause lung diseases such as Mesothelioma. This is a form of cancer, and it can be fatal.
Asbestos Exposure in Texas
Texas is often referred to as the "Big Oil" state because many major oil companies are located there. Oil refineries frequently utilize products that were made from asbestos. The refineries need heat resistant products for gaskets within their machinery, insulation materials and even in the uniforms that the employees once wore. This led to wide-spread asbestos exposure. Any employee of an oil refinery was put at risk - as was their friends and families.
The products that were made with asbestos would break up over time, allowing the fibers to become airborne. From there, the asbestos fibers were often breathed in, or caught on the clothing or other personal items of the employees, allowing the asbestos to be taken out of the work zones. People would often unknowingly transport the asbestos fibers to other environments, causing even more people to be subject to exposure.
Aside from oil refineries, Texans faced asbestos exposure at other major industry sites such as power plants, chemical facilities, electric plants and ship yards. Asbestos products are also commonly found on the work premises for all of these businesses. This put an even greater segment of the population at work
Since asbestos is often included insulation materials, many homes and smaller businesses also have asbestos products inside them.
Removing Asbestos
Asbestos should never be removed by anyone other than a certified professional. It is such a toxic material that is must be dealt with properly to avoid the risk of allowing the asbestos fibers to be freed in any environment frequented by humans or animals. If your home or office has any asbestos on the premises, find a qualified company to remove it for you.
In 2008 a company in Fort Worth experimented with a new method for asbestos removal. This method is to cover a tainted building with foam, and then demolish it. The idea is that the foam will catch all of the asbestos fibers so that none will be allowed to become airborne.
Local citizens protested this method as being unsafe. Their concern was that since the asbestos was not removed from the building before it was demolished, the fibers could escape the building and float freely in the air where they could be easily inhaled.
The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that the new foam method is just as safe as standard methods of asbestos removal. To help study the effectiveness of foam demolition, only part of the building was demolished this way. The asbestos in the rest of the building was removed in the standard way, so the results could be compared. The determination will be made once the study is completed.
Asbestos related deaths in Texas
Because of huge number of industries in Texas that used asbestos related products, the state has faced a large number of deaths to diseases such as Mesothelioma. Between the years 1979 - 1999, The EWG Action Fund collected and researched data to show the number of deaths in every state due to asbestos exposure.
Texas had 2,792 deaths during this time period. The three counties that reported the highest number of fatalities were Harris County, Jefferson County and Dallas County.
Asbestos lawsuits in Texas
Texas has had thousands lawsuits brought forth due to the high level of asbestos exposure the citizens of the state have faced.
There are legal professionals who can help those who have been exposed. If you have a disease that was caused by exposure to asbestos, request our free mesothelioma and asbestos information packet.
What to do if you have been exposed to asbestos
First off, seek medical treatment. If you have been exposed to asbestos and do intend to file a lawsuit, you will need to be aware of the statutes of limitations in Texas. For negligence/personal injury and for wrongful death it is two years. You will need to file your claim before the time allowed for the statute of limitations has run out.
Find out more about what you should do if you have been exposed to asbestos by requesting a copy our free packet.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
