Asbestos - An Amazing Mineral That Can Kill You

Asbestos - An Amazing Mineral That Can Kill You

Asbestos is a mineral. It's composed of hydrogen, oxygen, silicon, and other metal ions. It's been used for centuries as an insulator because asbestos fibers are flexible and strong. And they will not burn.There are three common types of asbestos: amosite, chrysolite, and crocidolite. When these fibers are mixed with other material a product known as an ACM (asbestos containing material) is produced.Asbestos containing materials have been used by the construction industry in wall insulation, cement pipes, sealants, ceiling panels, and pipe insulation. They've also been widely used by the auto industry, the U.S. Navy, the shipping industry, and the railroad industry. Even NASA has used ACM as a Space Shuttle insulator.On the surface asbestos seems to be a wonderful material. It does have one major drawback, though. If you inhale asbestos fibers they can potentially become life-threatening.If asbestos containing materials are disturbed they can release asbestos dust, particles, and fibers into the air. Asbestos particles are so small and powdery they easily can become airborne. And that can easily happen during their manufacture, when they're installed, and when they eventual deteriorate or are demolished.If anyone is in the vicinity when any of the aforementioned happens - and if they do not have the proper protective equipment - then they are likely to inhale these particles.The United States Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that close to 27 million American employees were exposed to asbestos while they were at work between 1940 and 1980. And many of the companies they worked for were well aware of the health risks to which they were subjecting their employees.Nonetheless, in the pursuit of profits, these companies chose to either deny or ignore any of the evidence that showed that people who worked in asbestos-related industries faced serious health risks and death.In the 1970s, the U.S. government initiated a moratorium on asbestos products. However, asbestos products are still being used and manufactured today.It often takes anywhere from 10 to 40 years after the initial exposure before the symptoms of asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis appear. The victims of these diseases now know that, for the most part, the companies they worked for were responsible for their suffering, so many have initiated lawsuits against their previous employers. If you have been exposed to asbestos you could be at risk for a number of life-threatening diseases. And if you were exposed to asbestos and you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis you may want to consider initiating a lawsuit.

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When Is Asbestos Dangerous? Asbestosis and mesothelioma among British asbestos workers (1971-2005) Mesothelioma is an Aggressive Primary Neoplasm Six Solitary Pleural Mesotheliomas Adenoviral Gene Transfer and Mesothelioma Cancer Cell Lines Origin of Connective Tissue Type Mesotheliomas from Multipotential Spindle Cells Value of Tumor Markers for Differential Diagnosis Between Mesothelioma and other Pleural Tumors Mechanisms Whereby Mesothelioma Tumors Escape Immunosurveillance Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is a Highly Lethal Neoplasm Asbestos is still with us: Repeat call for a universal ban Asbestos causes delays in renovation initiatives in Illinois and Mi Mesothelioma Research Has Demonstrated How Negligence Can Lead To Mesothelioma New York enterprise fined for asbestos violations