Asbestos Route of Exposure 1980 US Navy

20th August 2011 Cat: mesothelioma with No Comments »


The air pathway is the most important route of exposure to asbestos, and the route that most commonly leads to illness. Exposure scenarios include inhalation of contaminated air and dust during work with asbestos, during work in the same space as others, working with asbestos on worker’s skin, hair, and clothing, in areas surrounding a mining operation, in areas of the world where construction or other human activity (such as gardening) results in disturbance of natural outcrops of asbestos-bearing rock and in homes and buildings where renovations or demolitions disturb asbestos-containing building materials. Contrary to popular belief, the US has not banned asbestos. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that at least 10000 people die each year from asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos exposure is linked to asbestosis, lung & gastrointestinal cancers, and an aggressive cancer called mesothelioma. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause permanent and irreversible damage to vital organs. Disease occurs 10 — 50 years after exposure. Between 1900 and the mid 1980s, asbestos was used in over 3000 different products. During the 20th century, more than 30 million tons of asbestos were used in industrial facilities, homes, schools, shipyards, steel mills, power plants and commercial buildings in the United States. Heavy industrial asbestos exposure occurred prior to 1980 in the following industries: automotive, construction and shipbuilding. Occupations …