Asbestos the Silent Killer

An article about the history of asbestos and the potential future problems asbestos may cause. People fear that asbestos could cause an epidemic if it is not removed from places of business and homes quickly and appropriately.

Despite the fact the government banned the importation of blue and brown asbestos over twenty years ago and finally banned white asbestos in 1999, 3500 people currently die every year from asbestos related diseases.

Be it the lung choking ?asbestosis? or the cancer ?Mesothelioma? these diseases make asbestos the biggest industrial killer today.

In the 50?s and 60?s following World War 2, millions of tons of raw asbestos was imported into the UK to be made into building products and other industrial uses.

It was cheap, easy to mine and when added to various building products gave them extra strength and fire retardant properties.

Just what was needed to help the post war building boom.

However it was not until well into the sixties that it was discovered that the ingestion of its fibres caused terminal damage to peoples lungs.

All those people working in the factories using asbestos in their products had already been damaged by the microscopic fibres of asbestos. This was borne out by the climbing death rates in the late 80?s as it can take anything from 5 to 25 years for the asbestos dieses to kill you.

When the government brought in various bans on the importation and the using of asbestos in products they assumed by the turn of the new millennium there would be a fall in the number of deaths attributed to asbestos.

Unfortunately the exact opposite happened and the death toll continued to rise.

After some research the government found that because very few landlords or tenants of non-domestic buildings had bothered to have their building surveyed to find the whereabouts of any asbestos containing materials thousands of maintenance workers were coming into buildings and drilling holes or cutting out panels etc and disturbing the asbestos and on a regular basis breathing in small amounts of deadly fibres.

So as time went on they became infected and joined the numbers of people dying who had worked in the asbestos factories of the 50?s and 60?s.

Out of all this chaos was born the ?Control of Asbestos in the Workplace? legislation.

From May 2004 for the first time every owner or tenant, whoever was deemed responsible under the terms of leases, was legally obliged to have their premises surveyed and the position, quantity, condition and type of all ACM?s noted in a report form with a management plan to deal with the risk.

These reports would then be available to any employee or outside contractor who may want to work in the areas containing asbestos and following laid out ?Codes of Practice? take the necessary steps to minimise the release of harmful fibres into the atmosphere and subsequently into their lungs.

Simple precautions like not using power tools, wearing an appropriate face-mask, wearing throw away overalls and other very basic things will help stop the ingestion of deadly asbestos fibres.

Although this act will not immediately stop the death rate soaring to 10,000 deaths per year by 2020 eventually with the new knowledge and awareness of asbestos products contained in these reports we will see a decline in the death rate.

The message about asbestos is not to rip it out of buildings unnecessarily but to know of its whereabouts and manage it.

Only finally removing it under controlled conditions when it is damaged or disintegrating beyond reasonable repair.

Christopher Angus helps promote the following websites:

Printing Company
asbestos training
Oxford Double Glazing


Christopher Angus is a freelance writer and website promoter. He is available for hire.
Please contact him at chris (at) brilliantseo (dot) com

Christopher Angus is a freelance writer and journalist. He is available for hire and website promotion. Chris@brilliantseo.com He writes articles on behalf of clients for ?20.00 each ? These articles are then submitted to quality article directories

Can You File a Legal Claim For Getting Asbestos Mesothelioma?

Have you ever been exposed to asbestos? Have you ever been short of breath or has experienced chest pains coupled with a notable weight loss? If you answered yes to both questions then you may be exhibiting some symptoms of asbestos mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer which results from exposure to asbestos. Those who have worked in an asbestos factory or have been exposed to asbestos in any way like when washing the clothes of someone exposed to asbestos are more likely to get asbestos mesothelioma. People who have had their homes renovated with the use of asbestos materials should also take note of the symptoms as they may already have asbestos mesothelioma.

Most people who get asbestos mesothelioma do not easily relate their exposure to asbestos with this rare cancer form because the symptoms may appear after a long period of exposure to asbestos, in some cases, even after 40 years from exposure.

It is difficult to get a diagnosis of asbestos mesothelioma because the symptoms are much like the other illnesses like shortness of breath, coughing, weight loss and chest pains. However, if the symptoms are backed up by a history of asbestos exposure then there is a possibility that the person is indeed afflicted with asbestos mesothelioma.

The number of people reportedly diagnosed with asbestos mesothelioma has increased over the past years maybe because of the increasing awareness of people that getting this cancer from asbestos exposure can entitle them to a legal claim. In fact, most of the victims of asbestos mesothelioma who have filed a legal claim have received compensation from companies found guilty of being negligent and causing the exposure of the victims to asbestos.

People who think they have asbestos mesothelioma or who know of others who have been exposed to asbestos and who exhibit the symptoms of asbestos mesothelioma should consult a solicitor as soon as possible to help them file a legal claim.

A legal claim against the asbestos industry is possible with the aid of solicitors who have filed thousands of lawsuits on behalf of people who have asbestos mesothelioma. The solicitors can advise the victim on how to make sure that the cause of their illness is asbestos exposure. The solicitors can also help them file a legal claim against negligent employers aside from the legal claim against the manufacturers.

Being able to file a legal claim against asbestos manufacturers is the first step in getting proper compensation for being inflicted with asbestos mesothelioma. However, a legal claim is proper only if it can be shown that the cause of asbestos mesothelioma is asbestos exposure and that the parties responsible for the exposure are properly identified. These are matters best handled by solicitors.

A legal claim for asbestos mesothelioma can be settled by the manufacturers when the proper legal claim has been filed, meaning exposure to asbestos has been proven and the negligent employer or manufacturer identified. A person inflicted with asbestos mesothelioma, or his dependents, can get thousands to millions of dollars depending on some factors.

Julian Hall is the Director of <arel="nofollow" href="http://www.claimsmastergroup.com">Claims Master Group.<arel="nofollow" href="http://www.claimsmastergroup.com/">Personal Injury Claim,<arel="nofollow" href="http://www.claimsmastergroup.com/asbestos-mesothelioma-legal-claim.htm"

EPA Testing For Asbestos Surrounding Ground Zero Will Go Forward

After nearly four years, the EPA announced on November 29 that it will begin testing of residential and commercial spaces which may have been exposed to environmental toxins following the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade centers. In a much-maligned plan by local residents and even EPA panel member, testing of structures in lower Manhattan will begin in early in 2006. The area within borders between Canal street to the north and west of Pike and Allen Streets will be evaluated for a number of substances which could pose a risk to residents, including asbestos. Testing will be done on a voluntary basis.

Asbestos was used for insulation in the north tower of the World Trade center through the 40th floor. As a result of the collapse of the buildings, an enormous amount of debris containing asbestos was released into the air. In the week following the disaster, New Yorkers were told that the air was safe to breathe; yet were also instructed to clean dust carefully and avoid inhalation. The EPA later concluded that the announcement that the air was not dangerous was premature. Because of the prolonged period of time before disease manifests, it will be years before the true toll of asbestos exposure surrounding Ground Zero will be revealed.

While the plan calls for an expenditure of $7 million, those who oppose the plan feel it is inadequate. Concerned residents argued at a meeting at the Alexander Hamilton US customs house on December 13 that the testing is flawed because of it?s tightly limited geographical area, questionable methodology and voluntary nature. Distrust of the government agency stems from assurances by former EPA Administrator Christine Todd-Whitman that the air surrounding the site of the terrorist attack was safe to breathe in the days after the collapse. Timothy Oppelt, Chair of the EPA technical panel investigating the issue was quoted in NY Newsday as feeling that the plan "incorporates the best science available today." (12/13/05).

A review of some of the comments of the panelists as posted on the EPA website confirmed that there are many questions about the completeness of the EPA plan. Although the area to be tested is limited to lower Manhattan south of Canal Street, dust and debris spread to a far wider area, into Brooklyn and beyond. Other concerns include the testing methodology planned.

Most published research on asbestos related illnesses related to long-term exposure, rather that a single extreme exposure as experienced after the WTC collapse. Mesothelioma is most often found in asbestos workers following years of work-place exposure. The disease has been found, however, in worker?s spouses, presumably as a result of handling dust ridden work garments. Little data on single exposure is available, and leaves many questions unanswered.

This information, and the experience of the residents of the vermiculite-mining town of Libby, Montana point to a potentially serious problem in lower Manhattan. Blanketed by debris on every surface, with visibility limited to just a few feet in the days after the attack, the extreme nature of exposure following 9/11 is unprecedented.Visit http://www.mesothelioma.com for comprehensive mesothelioma and asbestos exposure information.