Asbestos in the Construction Industry

Asbestos in the Construction Industry

The construction industry was among those that turned to asbestos for fireproofing and insulating in the manufacturing process of a wide array of parts, products, and materials. The material – fibrous mineral – was cheap and heat resistant, and was used widely as early as the 19th century. While asbestos offered utility and cost-savings, however, it has since been linked to serious health problems in the workers that built the industries that so often implemented the mineral’s thin fibers.

The problem: when asbestos is not completely contained, its fine fibers can be inhaled or swallowed. When this happens, the fibers become embedded in a layer of tissue in the chest and abdominal regions known as the mesothelium. Unable to expel the tiny asbestos fibers from the body, the mesothelium becomes compromised. The resulting illnesses, mesothelioma and or asbestosis, take a truly terrible toll on the body. The symptoms are like those of lung cancer, intense pain and difficult breathing, and typically surface between 20 and 50 years after exposure to asbestos.

The purpose of this article is to explain the types of processes in the construction industry that featured asbestos. If you were exposed to asbestos while working in the industry and are now experiencing symptoms consistent with mesothelioma or asbestosis, contact a skilled and dedicated mesothelioma attorney. An experienced attorney will fight for the compensation you are entitled to for you medical needs and pain and suffering.

Asbestos Commonly Used in Construction Industry for Many Years

From the nineteenth century to the early 1980s, asbestos was commonly used in building materials and other products in the construction industry. Pipe and boiler insulation, fireproofing on support beams and ceilings, tiles, and acoustical plaster were all commonly made with asbestos. Again, the reason for this was the durable, flexible, and heat-resistant nature of the group of mineral fibers that comprise asbestos. Because buildings last for a long time, the fact that the use of asbestos was discontinued in the wake of scientific evidence regarding its adverse health effects does not mean that you were not exposed to asbestos if you worked in the construction industry after the 1980s. This is because you may have come into contact with a building or materials that were made prior to the industry’s move away from asbestos use. The types of workers that may have been exposed to asbestos are many and include insulators, plumbers, electricians, pipe fitters, carpenters, sheet metal workers, building maintenance workers, telephone installers, demolition crews, and more. The commonality between these professions and health conditions like asbestosis and mesothelioma is the inhalation or swallowing of dust containing asbestos fibers.

Even if you retired from the industry many years ago, the aching chest pain, cough, and other symptoms you are now experiencing may stem from work-related exposure to asbestos. To discuss your legal and medical options, contact a skilled and experienced mesothelioma and asbestosis attorney.