One of the most common ways people come into contact with asbestos is through their job. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 125 million people are exposed to asbestos at their workplace worldwide. And every year, more than 107,000 people die from asbestos lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis due to occupational asbestos exposure.
In the U.S., the deadly truth about asbestos has often been considered one of the largest industry cover-ups in history. Internal documents obtained from many asbestos companies through litigation have revealed that these companies knew about the serious health risks asbestos can cause in the early 20th century, but chose to hide the truth. By choosing profits over people, the asbestos companies caused the deaths of thousands of workers.
In the U.S., workers were generally exposed to asbestos from the early 20th century up through the late 1970s. In many cases, workers were not told that they were being exposed to asbestos or that asbestos could cause serious health issues. Though many regulations have been put in place to curb the use of asbestos, the material is still not banned in the U.S.
According to the United States Geological Survery (USGS), American asbestos imports are on the rise. In 2010, the U.S. imported approximately 820 metric tons of asbestos. Most of that asbestos was used in consumer products, such as roofing materials. Even today, workplace exposure to asbestos still occurs in the U.S.
Many occupations are at risk for on-the-job asbestos exposure. Here is a quick list of high risk jobs (see full list here):
- Workers involved in the manufacture of asbestos products
- Asbestos mining and milling
- Construction trades (including insulators, sheet metal workers, electricians, plumbers, pipe fitters, and carpenters)
- Power plant workers
- Boilermakers
- Shipyard workers
- Firefighters
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The mesothelioma law firm of Baron and Budd is a proud sponsor of Global Asbestos Awareness Week and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization.
