Asbestos - A Ticking Time-Bomb Still Legally in Use in Some Products

Have you ever seen the effects of asbestosis, mesothelioma, or any of the various asbestos-related cancers that have killed or destroyed the livelihood of a close fried or relative? Believe me, some very powerful and influential figures have succumbed to these illnesses, so it is not just confined to manual workers working in factories or building sites where asbestos was involved.

As early as 1898 the then Chief inspector of Factories in The United Kingdom in his report to Parliament submitted in his report regarding the ?evil effects of asbestos dust.? He described it even all those years ago as having a sharp, glass like nature, very susceptible to disintegrating into minute particles, which then very easily permeated every nook and cranny in a building, or even a district where such a product was in use.

Litigation due to industrial exposure to asbestos remains the longest, most expensive joint claim in the world, with over 6,000 defendants, and at the latest count well over 600,000 claimants. With the current rate of detection of asbestos related diseases set to rise over the next decade, estimates of the litigation costs on the US alone is expected to rise to well over $250 BILLION. You would have thought that with such amounts at stake, anybody still manufacturing products based on asbestos or any asbestos-related products would be taking an enormous financial risk.

In early times items made of asbestos were held in great esteem, especially by Kings and Emperors, and of equal value to gold. Many in fact were cremated in an asbestos shroud, to keep their ashes separate from any other combustible materials. How rash was that! In fact, talking of rashes, although asbestos fibres when coming into contact with the skin causes rashes, there are stories from ancient times that asbestos was actually prescribed for ailments of the skin ? especially the itch.

Although there are many forms of asbestos, they all have the same characteristic to a greater or lesser degree, that eventually however they may be packaged up within another material, they will all form asbestos dust particles at some point in their life.

Due to asbestos?s fire-retarding properties, until the late 1980?s there were many applications within public and private buildings where asbestos in one form or another was used. Acoustic ceilings, putty, vinyl floor coverings, fire-retardant fillings, adhesives and ceiling tiles, acoustic curtains in theatres, and in brake disk pads in cars, busses and trains, clutch plates, gaskets, fire blankets ? the list is endless, as is the lurking danger.

In fact, many a worker in the American shipyards during the Second Word War were heavily exposed to this asbestos danger, and even some top people were affected and struck down with asbestosis, mesothelioma, or asbestos-induced cancers of some sort.

Now, with many asbestos based products no longer allowed in new construction, there must be thousands upon thousands of sites where asbestos is still lurking, and even demolition and or removal creates its own hazard conditions.

Interestingly, in the interest of ?profit? there are still a number of applications where asbestos is still in use, and can even be found in some consumer products, such as talcum powder.

In all, the list of asbestos based products is still scarily quite long.

Asbestos-cement corrugated and flat sheets; asbestos clothing for heat resistant applications, pipe line wraps, roofing felt, and many applications in the auto industry, including automatic transmission system components, clutch plates, friction pads such as disk brake pads and so forth are still being manufactured.

How many of us have smelt the acrid fumes when a train applies it?s brakes in your local station?

Because of all this historical use of asbestos, we are all constantly exposed to certain levels of asbestos dust. These are usually quite low levels (between 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibres per millilitre of air we breathe) with the higher levels predominately in towns and cities. Some drinking water can also contain asbestos fibres from natural sources, but this is usually very closely monitored.

Where asbestos removal takes place, whole buildings have to be hermetically sealed to try and trap the bulk of the dust.

If you have been unfortunate enough to breathe large quantities of asbestos dust, either in a short burst, or over a period of years the effects are usually very much the same.

1. This dust, on the lungs and the membranes inside us, will eventually cause scar like tissues in the lungs, and in the pleural membrane (lining) surrounding the lungs. This ?asbestosis? as it is known will usually cause coughing, difficulty in breathing, and sometimes, enlargement of the heart. Asbestosis is very serious, and often results in death. However, it is usually confined to those who worked in the asbestos industry.

2. Lower levels of intake of this deadly dust may cause changes called plaques in the pleural membranes. Effects here are not as serious as with asbestosis, but restricted breathing may still take place.

3. Any irritation of the lungs, or any other membrane in the body will have a marked increase in the formation of cancers, and lung cancer and mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the thin lining (pleural membrane) surrounding the lungs is a well-know side effect of breathing asbestos dust.

4. Children are particularly at risk, as how many of them may play around old buildings, and take great pleasure in smashing up old sheets of asbestos, not realising that they are really playing with something more deadly than an unexploded time-bomb.

As a successful property renovator, and provider of buildings for my property club members, asbestos is of a very serious concern to me.

In all, asbestos, although having served mankind ?Faithfully?? down throughout the ages, has now been identified as the spectre of danger that it presents, but unfortunately we have been mining the stuff for centuries, so it will not go away quietly, and without a fight.

Hence the massive levels of lawsuits piling up surrounding all forms of asbestos.

Geoff Morris

Geoff Morris is a Property Entrepreneur who has been studying the dangers of renovating old buildings for his club members (http://www.propertyprofits4u.com). Such an International scare really needs more investigating, and you can identify far more information by visiting http://www.mesotheliomatime.info

Asbestos Lawyers

If you are one of the many victims of greedy asbestos manufacturers and now you or your relatives have developed mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases, a common course of action is to find an asbestos lawyer and start a lawsuit against the manufacturer.

While asbestos lawyers are not very common, there are hundreds of them in the United States and this is the most logical choice to make when you are on the verge of starting a lawsuit.

When you hire a lawyer to represent you in court, you need first to gather information about his or her experience with asbestos cases. Although asbestos litigation is not a separate branch of law, choosing a lawyer with experience in it is much better than trusting a divorce lawyer, for example.

Choosing a lawyer who has had experience with asbestos cases has one other benefit ? it is likely that he or she might have other clients who will file a similar lawsuit, and you can have a class action against the manufacturer.

Additionally, an experienced asbestos lawyer will be able to tell you how long the previous cases took to settle, what was the compensation, were there any intricacies, etc. Even if the experienced lawyer charges more than his or her less experienced colleagues, it is better to trust him than go and fight in court with somebody who is not so competent.

There are experienced asbestos lawyers in every state, so if you are searching hard enough, it will not take too long to find one. Having a local lawyer has the advantage that you can easily communicate with him or her when necessary. Since a typical lawsuit can take up to 3 years, be prepared for a long battle for your compensation!

Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers provides detailed information on Asbestos Lawyers, Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers, Asbestos Trial Lawyers, Asbestos Lawsuits and more. Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers is affiliated with Asbestos Litigation Attourneys

Asbestos And Mesothelioma 1

Asbestos, a naturally occurring complex silicate, was extensively used in many industries, including insulation in shipbuilding, manufacture of brake lining, and automobiles. Asbestos is a common name given to a group of six fibrous minerals which have their existence in two general forms, friable and non-friable. The toxic effects induced by asbestos inhalation include desquamating alveolitis, bronchiolitis, and pulmonary fibrosis. Other more serious health ailments caused by asbestos exposure include pleural effusion, pleural plaques, pleural calcification, and Mesothelioma (a highly malignant disease).

Mesothelioma, a serious health problem associated with asbestos exposure, starts when cells found in mesothelium (a protective lining that covers most of the internal organs of the body) becomes abnormal and divides without control and order. These cancer cells may spread to damage tissues and organs. The diagnosis of Mesothelioma is difficult by pleural cytology. The characteristic radiographic feature of the disease is massive pleural effusion.

The disease is almost three times more common in males as compared to females. The maximum number of Mesothelioma cases is reported in the age group of 40-60 years. The most common symptoms observed during the onset of Mesothelioma include asthenia, breathlessness, and dull chest pain. Other less frequent symptoms include cough, fever, and loss of weight. Haemoptysis is a symptom of Mesothelioma which is rarely observed.

The therapeutic (chemotherapy or immunotherapy) means are mostly unable to help significantly in the treatment. Even radiotherapy and pleurectomy fail as effective treatment options. The average patient survival after the diagnosis of Mesothelioma is 8 to 10 months. The most preferable option can be of preventive treatment for Mesothelioma. Strict industrial safety measures, proper hygiene, and regular check up of workers exposed to asbestos must form the crucial part of serious Mesothelioma preventive treatment methods.

Asbestos provides detailed information on asbestos, asbestos and mesothelioma, asbestos cancer, asbestos exposure and more. Asbestos is affliated with Lung Cancer Stages

The History and Link between Asbestos and Mesothelioma

If you have Mesothelioma, you are invariably a victim of asbestos, a material whose danger was known as early as the 1930s. The incidence of mesothelioma showed up even in those who had no occupational exposure, but lived close to a facility, which processes asbestos. This reports soon followed many reports of mesothelioma associated with asbestos exposure from various parts of the world. A few of these patients who developed mesothelioma had occupational exposure to asbestos, at pattern had developed.

It is also to be noted that less than 10% of people who had exposure to asbestos develop mesothelioma. In his report, Dr. Baris had identified 185 cases of erionite/zeolite-related mesothelioma in two areas of Turkey with no local asbestos deposits or industry. Recent reports suggest that a history of asbestos exposure can be obtained only in about 80% cases of mesothelioma. It is clear from these observations and studies that malignant mesothelioma is not uniquely related to asbestos exposure.

Other reports followed linking asbestos to malignant mesothelioma amongst pipe fitters in the USA; other reports followed from around the world. The history of asbestos exposure can be the cause of mesothelioma or asbestosis development. And it was not until 1960 that a link between asbestos exposure and malignant mesothelioma was documented. Once the asbestos fibers are inhaled, they may cause significant health problems including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Most people diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed asbestos (fibers). Since then, the relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure has been confirmed in studies around the world. This site only provides information about mesothelioma and asbestos, it is not meant to be taken as legal advice.

GET LEGAL HELP REGARDING Asbestos Mesothelioma

Rich C. Perlman For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.legal-help-advice.com

Asbestos - A Slim and Strong Enemy

For centuries, asbestos was used. Thousands of workers were exposed to the risks of this mineral that has several beneficial properties, but on the other hand can lead people to death.

First, the relation between asbestos and death of some workers wasn't made clear. The Greek geographer Strabo and the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder noticed something wrong regarding asbestos workers. Both found a sickness in the lungs of slaves that worked with asbestos.

Despite the evidence, the diseases related to the asbestos use were ignored for a long time. Only in the year 1931, the first laws were created in England in order to create preventative measures.

The use of asbestos

The Greek people named this mineral asbestos uniting two words in Greek: a, for non and sbestos, for extinguishable. So, asbestos means inextinguishable, which can be easily understood after reading about the effects of this mineral on the lungs of workers.

Asbestos was largely used due to its various properties. This mineral is resistant to fire, to some chemical effects and it also is waterproof. Due to this characteristic of being resistant to fire, it was used by unreliable merchants that used to sell crosses - that were supposed to be pieces of the cross where Jesus Christ was hung - made of asbestos. Since asbestos may have an appearance of old wood it could be easily sold and the fire resistance was the perfect excuse to sell it.

During the 1800s, the use of asbestos increased due to the Industrial Revolution. It started to be used worldwide, without any regard to working conditions. More than 3000 branches of industrial production used asbestos in the manufacturing of its products, which just contributed to the development of a disease commonly diagnosed in people that were exposed to asbestos.

The health conditions regarding asbestos exposure

For centuries, asbestos was used. And for decades, its effects were simply ignored. Doctors related some deaths to the exposure to asbestos, but it took years until the first measures were taken.

During the Industrial Revolution and the following years, working conditions were highly despised. By that time, it didn't matter what conditions people worked under, but how fast and efficiently they could do their job. This situation only contributed to the increase in the number of people who had respiratory problems.

The problem and the risk to the health regarding asbestos lies in a simple action: inhaling the particles spread by this mineral. If the particles are not inhaled, it does not represent a risk. But the truth is that, working with asbestos, it is almost impossible not to inhale particles.

These particles inhaled get stuck in the lungs' tissues, causing a type of cancer that is known as mesothelioma or asbestosis. Mesothelioma is the cancer of the pleural and peritoneal linings. When it is diagnosed, it is in general too late to do something: it's often fatal. Besides, mesothelioma has a long period that it remains in a latent state: it can remain unnoticed for 15 up to 60 years.

Asbestosis is a condition that compromises the elasticity of the lung tissue, which makes it difficult for the organs to exchange gases, resulting in a low level of oxygenation of the blood. It restricts breathing and can be unnoticed for up to 30 years.

Even with the preventative measures assured by laws, the number of deaths related to the exposure to asbestos has increased. In 1968, there were 153 deaths caused by mesothelioma but in 2003, statistics shows 1874 deaths. And it is not a world number: it was registered in Great Britain.

MMichael Russell Your Independent guide to Asbestos

How To Handle Asbestos In Your Home

Asbestos has been related with many debilitating diseases. Asbestos was once a widely used building material because it is strong and durable. If you live in a home that is over 20 years old there is a possibility that there is asbestos in your home. Asbestos was banned from being used in 1985, but asbestos already in place remains unless removed. If you suspect there is asbestos in your home there are some things you can do.

Asbestos is not harmful unless it is disturbed, such as during remodeling. So the first thing to do is to stay calm. Even if you have asbestos in your home you may not have been exposed to its harmful effects. Asbestos can not be identified form appearance alone, so it is important to call an inspector to test the area of suspicion. Most often asbestos can be found in roofs, wall panels, pipes and bath panels. If you suspect asbestos it is best to let a professional handle the situation. It is important not to disturb the area until after testing.

There are a few different ways to deal with and remove asbestos from your home. Sealing or asbestos encapsulation is where undamaged asbestos is coated with a substance that prevents the asbestos fibers from becoming airborne. If the asbestos is not intact and is crumbling or damaged then it should be covered or remove. It is important to seek the help of a professional in this matter.

Asbestos can be harmful if not handled properly. It is very important if you have damaged areas that are suspected to contain asbestos, that you get them inspected and removed if necessary. It is also important to remember that undamaged asbestos posses no immediate harm and if coated will prevent further problems. Always handle asbestos situations seriously and correct problems immediately. Stephen Kreutzer is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides asbestos information on CyberTopics!