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Drywall Work and the Risk of Asbestos Exposure

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asbestos_exposureWhen looking around the house, it can be easy to take certain things for granted so much that you forget they’re even there. You can lose sight of the exterior paint job as you go about busy work days. Carpets that used to be springy under your feet disappear as you navigate through various rooms. These rooms are divided and separated by the drywall.

But even though it’s easy to forget the drywall is even there, you must be conscious of whether it starts to become old, worn or damaged. The reason for this is that certain products used to assemble the drywall can put nearby people at risk for asbestos exposure if their condition is deteriorating, and we’re not just talking about the people who occupy the homes. If you’re an employee who worked with drywall during the 1980s, or you have to handle drywall that was manufactured before this time period, you may become vulnerable if asbestos mineral fibers break off into the nearby air.

Physical handling of old drywall-related products can create deadly dust
Drywall itself very rarely contained asbestos fiber, and this was confined to a few specific products with special applications. Often talc was used in the shipping of finished drywall so stacked sheets would slide off each other with ease. Sometimes that talc was contaminated with tremolite asbestos.

However, the big exposure related to drywall was in the taping compounds, which were referred to as mud or joint compound, that were used to cover and smooth the taping that covered the seams between sheets and any nail or screw holes in the sheets themselves. This was sanded to get a smooth, paintable finish and created dust which was a big hazard to the tapers and those nearby, as well as in later remodels and demolition.

Typically, products that contain asbestos don’t pose a health threat to anyone as long as they remain intact and in good condition. However, during construction, renovation or demolition, it’s easy for asbestos-tainted items, such as drywall-related products, to release mineral fibers into the air.

Several studies that appeared in the American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal showed how dangerous asbestos can be. One paper from 1980 demonstrated that drywall taping produced the most dust during the mixing, sweeping and the sanding phases. This is worrisome considering that there were about 75,000 construction workers in the U.S. working in the drywall trade by 1979.

Another paper published in 1979 revealed that air concentration measurements of asbestos fibers within the breathing zones around drywall tapers exceeded government regulations.

If you worked in the drywall trade prior the the 1980s, and you have an asbestos-related illness, you should consider consulting an asbestos attorney.

Protect yourself whenever possible
If you’re not sure whether a section of drywall has asbestos in it, it’s better to assume that it does. From there, you can get in touch with professional contractors that are specially trained and certified to handle products tainted with asbestos, who can collect material samples for laboratory analysis to measure asbestos concentration. Remember that you shouldn’t collect these material samples yourself if you aren’t properly trained.

If asbestos is in the drywall-related products, the abatement and removal processes should also be handled only by professionals.

Protecting Contractors and Workers from Asbestos Exposure

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asbestos exposureWhenever contractors are hired to perform a job, their managers and the operations and maintenance, or O&M, managers of the property owners at a job site have to make sure that safety is a priority. Depending on the task at hand, this can mean several things: reviewing structural blueprints, going over the layout of the electrical wiring, using power tools cautiously and so on.

If a building was constructed before the 1980s, odds are that asbestos exposure will also be an issue. However, there are several federal policies that contractors must follow to protect their employees and other workers from coming into contact with this hazardous material.

What products put workers at risk?
In the U.S., asbestos use was more rampant during the 20th century, when it was added to construction materials in order to make them stronger, fireproof and friction-resistant. However, a growing number of responsible companies acknowledged that scientific evidence linked asbestos exposure to deadly diseases such as malignant mesothelioma.

While this led to a decrease in the use of asbestos, the federal government has yet to ban the material altogether. Furthermore, buildings that have been constructed before the 1980s are still likely to contain products tainted by asbestos. Typically, the health of individuals is not at risk as long as these products are in good condition. However, demolition or renovation work can disturb these materials and release asbestos fibers into the air, making them more likely to be inhaled.

Contractors and their workers should know that the list of products containing asbestos includes, but is not limited to:

  • Roofing felt
  • Roof coatings
  • Non-roofing coatings
  • Vinyl floor tiles
  • Pipeline wrap
  • Cement shingles
  • Cement corrugated sheets
  • Cement flat sheets
  • Gaskets

If a job site has any asbestos-containing materials, workers need to avoid activities such as sawing, sanding or drilling. Additionally, they have to keep items adequately wet, use only power tools that are equipped with special local ventilation attachments, use mini-enclosures and isolate affected areas.

What other measures are in place to protect employees?
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has several policies to help protect workers from asbestos. The agency lists permissible asbestos exposure limits at 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air averaged over eight hours, or 1 fiber per cubic centimeter averaged over 30 minutes. If contractors know that their workers will be exposed to asbestos concentrations higher than these, they must provide employees with protective clothing and other equipment.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency also lists several work practices that contractors and their employees must use as needed, based on the likelihood that asbestos will be disturbed. These include consulting an asbestos project manager, modification of the HVAC system, the need to contain a work area, respiratory protection, protective clothing, wetting methods and use of a HEPA vacuum.

O&M managers usually have to file paperwork control/permit paperwork in case any on-site jobs can disturb asbestos, as listed by the EPA. This paperwork also extends to jobs carried out by contractors, and has several considerations for proof of workers’ notification of the presence of asbestos, documentation of respiratory protection, notification to tenants and visitors of any abatement activity, provision for inspections and other factors.

Experts from the Environmental Working Group estimate that asbestos-related diseases – malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and others – claim more than 9,900 lives in the U.S. every year. That figure isn’t expected to peak for another 10 years or so. One of most frustrating aspects of these illnesses is that they don’t show any noticeable symptoms until they are well into their advanced stages. For these reasons, it’s important for contractors to comply with government policies that can protect their workers from asbestos exposure.

Is Your Building in Danger of Asbestos Exposure?

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asbestos_exposureIf you live in an apartment complex or share an office building, you likely rely on a building manager to make sure everything is in working order. Between making sure the plumbing is functioning properly, the HVAC system is circulating fresh air and the custodial staff is keeping everything clean, the building manager is in charge of ensuring that the needs of a particular space are being met.

Clearly, some issues need to be addressed immediately while others require ongoing vigilance. Asbestos exposure fits in the latter category. If your building manager is responsible, he or she should be staying up-to-date on the latest federal and state policies regarding asbestos and staying communicative with both you and the maintenance staff.

Asbestos can be found in many older buildings
Until the 1980s, the use of asbestos in construction materials was rampant in the U.S. Although responsible companies started phasing it out of their manufacturing processes due to concerns about its associations with fatal illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-containing materials are still present in older buildings.

As long as these products are in good condition and left undisturbed, they pose no health risks to nearby individuals. This is why your building managers need to be aware of where asbestos exists in your complex, which will help them warn you to stay away from hazardous areas.

There are several products that were typically made with asbestos prior to 1981. These include, but are not limited to heating system insulation, vinyl flooring and tiles, “popcorn” ceilings, heating and air conditioning duct wrap, paper backing of linoleum and wall-texturing compounds.

How should building managers take care of asbestos?
It’s advisable for all building managers to create an Operations and Management, or O&M, program to prevent asbestos exposure.

 A successful O&M program includes seven elements:

1. Training of custodial and other staff
2. A plan for occupant notification
3. Monitoring of asbestos-containing materials
4. Job-site controls for work that involves asbestos-containing materials
5. Safe work practices to prevent the release of mineral fibers from asbestos-containing materials
6. Good recordkeeping to document all O&M activities
7. Medical and respiratory protection for workers

Before creating an O&M program, building managers should appoint an asbestos project manager, who could oversee all activities pertaining to asbestos, including building inspections, abatement projects and staff training. This position usually goes to building engineers, superintendents or safety and health directors. If the site is small, the building managers themselves may hold this position.

After an asbestos project manager has been appointed, the building has to be inspected. The results can inform the creation of the O&M program. In case asbestos is an immediate cause of concern, managers can formulate a plan for abatement or removal.

One of the most important things that building managers can do is keep occupants like you informed so that you know where the asbestos is and remember not to disturb it. The EPA says this can be done by posting signs and distributing written notices. These notices should include information such as where the products are located, what condition they’re in, whether dust is present, how often inspections occur and other important topics. Ideally, these materials should also be available in your primary language if it’s anything other than English.

If the building you’re worried about is a rental complex that you live in, building managers don’t have to warn you about asbestos if they had a licensed inspector come out and conclude there is no asbestos on the premises. Otherwise, they do have to keep you informed.

What to Know Before Hiring an Asbestos Professional

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asbestos_professionalsIf you or other consumers become alarmed upon the discovery of asbestos in a building, that’s perfectly normal and understandable. However, it’s important to not remove or handle this material yourself. Asbestos generally doesn’t pose any health threats as long as it’s isolated and intact. If you try to handle the asbestos without proper training, you may potentially release dangerous material fibers into the air.

Instead, it’s a better idea to hire an asbestos professional to take care of this job.

What does an asbestos professional do?
There are five types of professionals approved to handle asbestos: workers, contractors/supervisors, inspectors, management planners and project designers. When it comes to removal and abatement projects, you should consult inspectors or contractors.

Inspectors evaluate homes and buildings, collect material samples for laboratory analysis, and make recommendations about remedying problems with asbestos. Meanwhile, contractors perform the actual repair and removal work. If such modifications are needed, the inspectors make sure the contractors follow procedures, clean up the site properly and monitor the air to ensure that the work hasn’t released asbestos fibers into the air.

If you decide you need to hire an asbestos professional, be sure that the assessment work and actual repairs are performed by two different companies. That way, you’ll avoid a conflict of interest.

When hiring an asbestos inspector, make sure that the work includes a complete visual inspection as well as careful collection of material samples. If asbestos is present, the inspector should give you a complete written evaluation.

Before hiring a contractor, you need to obtain a contract that specifies what work needs to be done. At the end of the job, it’s important that you receive written documentation that all the correct procedures were followed.

What kind of training do asbestos professionals have?
Specifically, an asbestos inspector needs to be knowledgeable about:

  • Identification of asbestos
  • Potential health effects related to asbestos exposure
  • The functions and qualifications of asbestos inspectors
  • The legal responsibilities for asbestos inspectors and other parties
  • Building systems, including HVAC systems
  • Relationships with the public and building occupants
  • Pre-inspection planning
  • Assessing the condition of asbestos-containing products
  • Bulk sampling of asbestos
  • Respiratory protection for inspectors
  • Recordkeeping
  • Regulatory reviews
  • Field exercises

Contractors also have to learn about identifying asbestos, health effects and protective equipment. Additionally, they have to learn about:

  • State-of-the-art work practices, including techniques to minimize the release of asbestos dust
  • Personal hygiene
  • Medical monitoring
  • Air monitoring
  • Miscellaneous health hazards, such as electrical wiring

Homeowners should note, though, that federal law doesn’t require that inspectors or contractors who work in detached single-family homes receive any training or accreditation. However, there are still state laws about training that need to be followed.

When hiring an asbestos professional, ask them to show proof of training and accreditation at both the federal and state levels. Additionally, you can run a background check on a potential hire by consulting your local air pollution board, your local agency that’s in charge of worker safety and the Better Business Bureau. Ask these agencies specifically about any safety violations and legal actions filed against a potential hire.

What to Know When Hiring Asbestos Laboratories

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asbestos_exposure

Typically, asbestos-tainted products won’t pose a health hazard to anyone if they are left undisturbed and intact. However, you must be on alert if you plan on making any major home renovations, or if parts of your building, such as the insulation or drywall, are falling apart.

If you’re unsure about whether something contains asbestos, you should assume that it does. Whatever you do, though, don’t try to remove it yourself. Instead, try to inspect it visually. If it looks like it’s intact, isolate it by limiting access to the surrounding area for relatives and pets. If the material looks more than slightly damaged, or you’re planning home projects that may disturb it, consult an asbestos inspector. These professionals are specially trained to handle asbestos. They can also collect material samples to send to a laboratory.

What do asbestos laboratories do?
There are two types of tests that asbestos laboratories can conduct in order to measure asbestos fibers. Polarized light microscopy tests can analyze asbestos in bulk solid materials, while transmission electron microscopy detects asbestos fibers in air samples.

You shouldn’t just hire any lab that can perform these tests, though. For safety’s sake, make sure that asbestos laboratories meet the testing standards of the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program, or NVLAP, which is an initiative of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. This agency works with a contractor to send asbestos laboratories testing samples that will help determine whether they’re proficient in measuring asbestos.

Federal laws require that all schools be evaluated for asbestos only by asbestos laboratories that are accredited by the NVLAP. No such requirements exist for private homes or buildings that are not schools. However, NVLAP-accredited asbestos laboratories are still the best option in these cases.

Experts estimate that diseases related to asbestos exposure claim the lives of more than 9,900 individuals in the U.S. every year. That figure won’t peak for another 10 years – a consequence of the fact that these illnesses tend to not present any signs until decades have passed. This underscores not only the importance of avoiding asbestos, but also of eliminating its use and production in every country.

Asbestos Exposure and the Risks with Cosmetics

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asbestos exposure

Whenever you think of items that may pose a threat of asbestos exposure, you’re likely to call to mind construction materials. These may include insulation, cement products or vinyl floor tiles.

You probably wouldn’t think about cosmetics. The idea of applying asbestos-tainted makeup and hygiene products directly to your skin or the skin of a loved one probably sounds either appalling or far-fetched. However, there are a lot of questions surrounding the use of talc, which is used in many cosmetic items, including baby powder.

What substances are still allowed in cosmetics?
Recently, wellness columnist Gabrielle Korn, who works for the fashion news site Refinery 29, wrote an article about how only 10 substances are officially banned from the manufacturing of cosmetics in the U.S., compared to nearly 1,400 in Europe. Among the ingredients that are banned in Europe but still accepted in the U.S. are coal tar, lead, animal-tested ingredients and the pregnancy-related hormone progesterone.

Furthermore, asbestos is still technically allowed in products that contain talc. In discussing this revelation, Korn directed readers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has been dealing with questions about talc and asbestos since the 1970s.

In addition to being the main component of baby powder, talc is used in the manufacturing processes of rice, chewing gum and medication tablets.

Here’s what the agency’s website had to say about the matter:

“Both talc and asbestos are naturally occurring minerals that may be found in close proximity in the earth. Unlike talc, however, asbestos is a known carcinogen. For this reason, FDA considers it unacceptable for cosmetic talc to be contaminated with asbestos.”

The FDA added that asbestos exposure from talc can be prevented by manufacturers who select their talc mines carefully and purify the ore sufficiently.

To investigate these questions further, the FDA decided to survey samples from talc suppliers between Sept. 2009 and Sept. 2010. Only four talc suppliers sent the agency samples for laboratory analyses.

Additionally, the FDA obtained some of the most common talc-containing cosmetics, including blush, eyeshadow, foundation, face powder and body powder.

None of the samples turned up positive for asbestos. While this is encouraging, it isn’t definitive for all talc suppliers and cosmetics in the U.S.

Ultimately, though, the agency hasn’t officially banned the use of talc that may be contaminated with asbestos.

More questions surround talc
Asbestos is a known carcinogen and the only proven driver of fatal diseases such as malignant mesothelioma. For these reasons, some consumers have become worried about the safety and purity of talc.

Respiratory problems aren’t the only potential health problems posed by talc. Experts from the American Cancer Society pointed out that there have been questions about a possible link between talc and ovarian cancer in women. Talc can sometimes be added to products applied to women’s genitals, such as sanitary napkins, diaphragms or condoms. Several studies have investigated whether this can lead to ovarian cancer. However, one review of 16 previous studies completed before 2003 indicated that the risk increase of this disease for talc users is 30 percent higher than it is for non-talc users. If the lifetime risk of ovarian cancer for women on average is 1.4 percent, that means that talc would raise that figure to only 1.8 percent, which is still relatively small.

However, it’s perfectly understandable if you’d still be wary of using talc. If you need a substitute, the American Cancer Society suggested using products that are cornstarch-based.

Communities Dealing with High Asbestos Exposure Risks

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asbestos exposureUsually, when we hear about cases of asbestos exposure, we hear about individuals who weren’t adequately protected from this material. They may have encountered asbestos because of their jobs, or because someone they lived with handled asbestos on a regular basis. There are also aging buildings that can put people at risk because they’re both old and in poor condition, causing mineral fibers to break off of asbestos-containing products.

What’s beyond appalling is when we hear of entire communities dealing with asbestos exposure. These types of situations raise many questions: Who’s responsible for placing these people at risk? What can be done to protect future generations? What do the locals know about the hazards surrounding asbestos exposure?

Recently, I read about a student at the University of Pennsylvania who’s currently studying one former factory town in order to answer some of these questions.

People don’t realize that ‘risk is real’
Shabnam Elahi, a senior at Penn, is a biology major who decided to focus her research on a town named Ambler, which is 40 minutes northeast of Philadelphia. In 1881, Ambler became home to an asbestos factory. By mid-20th century, the science connecting asbestos to potentially fatal diseases such as malignant mesothelioma became too difficult to deny, and factories such as the one in Ambler began to shut down.

Unfortunately, a lot of the waste product was left behind.

Eventually, the federal Environmental Protection Agency designated Ambler as a Superfund site, which gives the government the power to oversee the rehabilitation of the area’s cleanup.

Meanwhile, Elahi, along with her colleagues and mentors, is speaking to the people of the town in order to learn who’s developing mesothelioma, who’s most at risk and what people know about the risks surrounding asbestos exposure.

Frances Barg, associate professor of family medicine and community health in Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine and associate professor in the anthropology department (and also a mentor of Elahi), also told Penn News that the long period of time it takes for this disease to develop led people to have a misconception that asbestos-related risks aren’t deserving of so much worry.

Ultimately, Elahi can use this information to predict who’s at risk and figure out how to help them.

There are asbestos Superfund sites everywhere
Ambler isn’t the only place in the U.S. that the federal government thinks is deserving of help for an asbestos problem. Across the country, there are other communities dealing with these issues.

Among the most well-known of these towns is Libby, Mont. This community was once a world leader in the mining and processing of vermiculite, a significant proportion of which was tainted with asbestos.

In California, there are two areas being considered for Superfund designation sites: El Dorado Hills, where the soil around a high school was found to contain asbestos, and Clear Creek Management Area, where recreational vehicles are liable to disturb asbestos fibers in the soil.

There are several things you can do to keep dust out of your house. When it comes to driving vehicles, walking, running or playing, make sure that you and your children stick only with paved surfaces or ground that has some sort of covering, like shredded rubber, grass, sand or asphalt. Before entering the house, remove your shoes and ensure that your pets have clean feet and fur.

Hurricane Sandy Aftermath Leaves Residents at Risk for Asbestos Exposure

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Hurricane_SandyDuring the fall of 2012, the northeastern U.S. endured what’s considered the most expensive natural disaster in the history of the country. Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and other states. Government experts estimated that up to 12 inches of precipitation fell between Oct. 29 and Oct. 31. By Nov. 30, more than 100 people died.

In the aftermath, citizens had to deal with extensive flood cleanup. However, there’s more to worry about than water damage in the buildings. The actual flood waters themselves may have carried toxic waste away from isolated sites and into residential areas, increasing the risks for asbestos exposure and other hazards. News12 New Jersey recently caught up with the city of Little Ferry, where health experts warned residents about the new dangers that may be lurking in their soil.

Contaminants may be ‘entering the food chain’
The residents of Little Ferry are worried because during Hurricane Sandy, flood waters coursed through the neighborhood from areas that are deemed Superfund sites. Superfund sites are places that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has dubbed worthy of attention as a cleanup site due to the presence of toxic materials, including asbestos. These are often the locations of former industrial complexes.

Even after the water receded, residents are still concerned about what may have been left behind in their soil.

Here’s what homeowner Regina Coyle told News12 New Jersey about her vegetable garden:

“I’m afraid of the lead, I’m afraid of the possible arsenic, those kinds of things entering the food chain.”

Furthermore, the environmental group Climate Central estimated that Hurricane Sandy spread 5 billion gallons of raw sewage throughout New Jersey alone.

Government and environmental groups offered conflicting accounts of how genuine the health threats from the soil are. The EPA said that toxin-tainted soil at the Superfund sites was confined to areas that were off-limits to the public, but conceded that this was only based on visual inspections rather than lab tests. Meanwhile, the company RTK Environmental Group warned the news source that soil samples at different sites found contamination levels that are triple what’s acceptable.

There’s disagreement over the value of soil testing in this case because the flood waters covered a wide area, and academic experts warn that normal test results may not cover all the grounds. In the meantime, Bergen County Health officials advise gardeners to grow their vegetables using potted soil in containers raised off of the ground.

Remember these other cleanup tips
During any disaster that involves property damage – flooding, storms, earthquakes, fires and so on – it’s important to remember that debris of any sort may be tainted with asbestos. Handling this waste can increase the risk for fatal illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma.

If you suspect a building or house damaged in a disaster contains products tainted with asbestos, contact your local public health authorities to let them know. If the asbestos is still in your house, they can advise you on the best way to take care of it, which may involve either repairing it or removing it – two processes that you shouldn’t attempt to do on your own. Containing the asbestos usually involves sealing or covering the products within a leak-free material.

Robot May Protect Workers from Asbestos Exposure

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asbestos exposureIn an effort to control the pollution problem, entire cities and neighborhoods have adopted recycling programs. And it’s not just the number of programs that’s expanding – it’s also the number of materials. In addition to plastic, glass and paper, more programs are accommodating the collection of compost and electronics.

However, the construction and demolition industries leave much to be desired by way of waste recycling. This is due to several reasons, including the fact that this waste is still manually sorted, and the risk of asbestos exposure and other hazardous materials is still an issue.

Fortunately, scientists aren’t content to let waste reduction efforts lag. Recently, I read an article from CNN that talked about a tech company based in Finland. The innovators at ZenRobotics created a robot with artificial intelligence that enables it to learn how to sort through the recyclable rubble of construction and demolition waste.

Once this technology is perfected, it can mean a real boon to workers who wouldn’t have to worry as much about asbestos exposure when cleaning up waste from buildings.

Robotic ‘brain’ can apply knowledge at conveyor belt
Experts estimate that construction and demolition are responsible for more than one-third of all solid waste. In the U.S., this amounts to 325 million tons every year. This trend coincides with the deplorable fact that 80 percent of potentially recyclable waste eventually ends up in landfills.

When it comes to waste from buildings, the organization of these materials has a lot of room for improvement.

Jufo Peltomaa, founder of ZenRobotics, was reportedly struck by inspiration when he watched a documentary that featured the disposal and recycling of a B52 bomber. The employees picking through the waste looked bored, and Peltomaa thought it would be helpful to have a robotic sorter.

The ZenRobotics Recycler, or ZRR, is equipped with technology that allows for weight measurement, tactile assessment, three-dimensional scanning and more – all of which allows the machine to sort through different types of material on a conveyor belt.

Where is the asbestos in all the rubble?
Although asbestos exposure is the only proven cause of fatal diseases such as malignant mesothelioma, there are still many products that include this material in their manufacturing processes. These include vermiculite insulation, certain cement products, vinyl flooring and adhesives, roofing and siding shingles, textured paint and patching compounds, piping insulation and furnace gaskets. Asbestos-containing products are particularly plentiful in buildings that were constructed before the 1980s.

Typically, asbestos products pose no health problems to people as long as they are kept intact. However, this is not the case during demolition, and the physical disturbances can send mineral fibers airborne.

However, a machine like the ZRR can make asbestos exposure unnecessary for demolition and construction crews.

Other inventions are on the horizon
What’s exciting to us at Kazan Law is the fact that the ZRR isn’t the only gadget in development that can help protect people from asbestos fibers. Scientists from the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K. have invented a device that can analyze air samples for the presence of asbestos fibers in real time. This is a vast improvement over current techniques of asbestos detection, which can take hours. The first commercially available devices should be ready within the next two years.

High School Students Fight Asbestos Exposure in Court

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high school studentsHigh school is a time for adolescents to learn more about the responsibilities that adults face. One of the most important things that high school students learn about is using their voice, which is particularly important if they need to seek justice against someone who’s wronged them. Recently, I came across a story in the Merced Sun-Star, which talked about former high school students who were preparing to make statements in federal court against a non-profit organization that illegally used them to perform abatement work. This ultimately put them at risk for asbestos exposure in the process.

Vocational students lacked proper training
In 1998, the Merced County Housing Authority launched a non-profit agency known as Firm Build, which had a goal of modernizing public housing while teaching residents marketable skills. In 2005, the Merced County Office of Education negotiated a lease with Firm Build to renovate a Castle Commerce Center building as an automotive teaching center.

During the project, Firm Build made an appalling attempt at taking short cuts by selecting nine vocational high school students and having them remove asbestos. These youngsters were not properly trained on how to handle asbestos, and didn’t receive any protective material to prevent asbestos exposure.

In March 2013, three project managers pleaded no contest to violating federal asbestos exposure regulations. They were convicted in May.

Final sentencing of these perpetrators is scheduled for August. At this time, the former students, who are now all in their 20s, will make statements before the court about how the project managers endangered their lives. Meanwhile, the federal prosecutor still has time to reach out to more former students who may want to make statements also.

Stories need to be shared
The point of making an impact statement during the sentencing phase of a criminal case is for victims to have their say about how the convicted criminals hurt them, which can influence the sentence that’s ultimately handed down.

If you’ve been hurt by asbestos, you don’t have to wait until the responsible parties have been brought to court. You should tell everyone your story, including news media and your lawmakers, who have to power to control how asbestos is regulated. If you consult a law firm that specializes in asbestos cases, you can also learn about your legal recourse in launching a lawsuit in civil court.

In the meantime, schools have a responsibility to protect students from asbestos exposure. Parents who are worried about whether the schools are doing this job the way they should can contact their local education agencies, which are responsible for inspecting school buildings for potential asbestos exposure dangers.

Every year, asbestos-related diseases such as malignant pleural mesothelioma claim more than 9,900 lives. That figure may not reach its peak for another 10 years or so, partly because these illnesses can take 20 to 50 years to fully manifest themselves. Today’s high school students shouldn’t have to worry about being among those who get sick.

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