The 'Special' Material

Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos is found in just about every town in the country, and the places and manners it has been used are countless. The material appeared to meet many different needs before the dangers were known, and, as such, it appeared in over 300 consumer products, as well as in job sites, transportation vehicles, housing and construction.

It is almost impossible to claim that any individual has never been exposed to asbestos, and it still appears in many households in some form or another. (For the most part, it is safe if sealed and intact.) However, as an overview of some of the more commonly utilized locations for this “miracle mineral” (as dubbed by its discoverers, the early Greeks), asbestos exposure has been found in, but not limited to, the following locations:

Oil Refineries, Steel Mills, Power Plants, Chemical Plants, Auto Manufacturing Plants-These industries all depended upon asbestos for job site protection from the volatility of electricity, heat, flame and chemical accidents. It was used everywhere that there was a chance of danger, from around pipes and beams to between partitions, panels, wall, tiling, and ceilings. It was placed in fire blankets, fire curtains, around fire doors, and in other fireproofing materials, in addition to stovepipe rings, soldering and welding blocks and sheets.

Mines and Asbestos Processing Plants-Naturally occurring asbestos was still dangerous to workers since the day to day operations involved procedures that involved separation of asbestos fibers, which allowed them to contaminate the air. Ironically, asbestos was used also inside worker’s protective clothing such as bibs, aprons, hoods, gloves and overcoats.

Shipyards and on ships-Asbestos was used in many capacities by ship fitters in the construction and repair of liners. Onboard, asbestos was often found below deck, where there was a greater danger of fire causing potential loss of life. It was found in all areas where protection was needed, such as around high temperature gaskets, furnaces and boilers.

Construction-Asbestos was used throughout buildings from the second half of the nineteenth century, so generations of workers faced risk during building or renovation of these older facilities. In cities that have been heavily populated since the settlements of the 1800’s, much of the public has been exposed to asbestos used not only in housing, but in all public facilities. Banks, cinemas, stores, government offices, and recreation centers all used asbestos at some point, due to it popularity, ease of use, inexpensive availability and inherent properties to absorb heat, cold, sound and flames. In and around millboard, wallboard, lay-in panels, roofing felt, electrical wiring, elevator brakes shoes, cooling towers, steel beams, columns, and shingles, heaters and incinerators were areas in which asbestos was primarily placed.

Residences:

In the home, asbestos exposure was predominantly found in the areas most vulnerable to the need for weather insulation, and those were usually the attic, roof and basement. Asbestos was placed in crawl spaces, below flooring, and above ceilings. It was around water and sewer pipes, ducts, and electrical wiring. Asbestos was under vinyl, linoleum sheet flooring, floor backing, and inside acoustic tiles and barbecues.

Consumer Products:

Asbestos was also found in stove burner mats, iron rests, ironing board pads, pot holders, furnace door gaskets, wires, auto brake pads and linings. It was also mixed into the materials used in the manufacture of safes, safety boxes, filing cabinets, chalkboards, table tops, thermal paper, vinyl wall coverings, and packing materials. Furthermore, asbestos was mixed into concrete, stucco and plaster for greater strength needed for partitions, wallboard, and siding, and either sprayed on or applied with trowels. Asbestos was added to putty, caulking, adhesives, metal ware, clay, crayons, protective wear, paints, spackling compounds, tiling, paper-mache, and decorative plaster.

Appliances:

Almost every appliance had some amount of asbestos insulation due to its contact with electricity, especially if its major used involved a heating element. Examples would be toasters, ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, ranges, clothes washers, dryers, curling irons, and hair dryers. Plus, electric blankets, broilers, slow cookers, deep fryers, electric frying pans, electric grills, mixers and popcorn makers also could contain asbestos materials.

It should be noted that this list contains possible locations of asbestos during the last half of the 1900’s, since asbestos was not legally available for construction and industrial use after the 1980’s. Newer homes should not have asbestos, and older homes that have since remodeled also should not have asbestos as insulation, either. However, older properties and even some fairly newer consumer products may still contain asbestos. Asbestos becomes dangerous once fibers begin separating, since they then are light enough to float in air currents and become inhaled. Once in an individual’s lungs, the fibers remain wedged there for decades, and a person may only become aware of their exposure after being diagnosed with an asbestos disease such as potentially lethal mesothelioma.

Anyone who believes he or she has suffered from significant asbestos exposure either from their job or from their environment, and who is experiencing respiratory or other unusual symptoms should seek medical and legal attention as soon as possible.