Asbestos Exposure and Flooring Installers | Risks and Prevention
Asbestos and Its Utility in Construction and Industry
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that is abundantly available as deposits beneath the surface of the earth. It can be mined just like any other mineral. Asbestos comes in various types and each is useful in its own way.
The extremely useful properties of asbestos made this substance most sought-afterby various industries that needed products with these properties inbuilt in them.
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If you believe that you were exposed to asbestos, even as a child, speak to a healthcare provider about tests and screening to help diagnose lung-scarring and screen for asbestos-related diseases.
Asbestos has incredible properties as a construction material.
Unfortunately it’s also deadly.
Some of the important properties of asbestos include:
High resistance to heat and fire
Resistance to acids, alkalis, and corrosion
Excellent insulation
Unaffected by water
Fibrous comprising millions of fibers densely packed to impart strength
Flexible that it can be woven into cloth to provide insulation for heating, plumbing and electrical wiring
Highly durable
Highly friable – fibers can be added to other materials
These properties prompted the manufacture of over 3,000 products that contained asbestos in them that could be used in refineries, automobiles, construction, and shipbuilding. These products were known as asbestos containing materials (ACM).
Asbestos is easy to mine and easy to combine with other materials to produce a variety of products, which could be delivered high value at very low cost.
Unfortunately, some of these properties like being fibrous, friable, and durablecaused asbestos to become a very dangerous material for human health.
The National Library of Medicine has found that asbestosis is prevalent in a variety of construction trades because of the widespread use of asbestos in those environments.1 |
Asbestos in Floor Tiles
During the 1900s, asbestos became a much sought after substance and began to be used all over the world. It became one of the most important substances used in construction activities related to flooring, piping, ceiling, soundproofing, and other allied activities. Even the adhesives that were used in these activities, including grouting that had ACMs in them.
Asbestos’ properties of heat resistance and strength combined with its moisture resistance and durability were ideal for use in floor tiles and much of the buildings in the 20th century prior to 1982 had tiles with ACMs in them when used as floor tiles, wall tiles and ceiling tiles.
Dangers of Asbestos Exposure
Obviously, people working on activities that involved ACMs were the flooring installers and their supporting staff. They would have handled these ACM tiles along with the adhesives while grouting as well. Similarly, these flooring installers would also have handled repairs of broken tiles or removal of old tiles and replacing them with new tiles with ACMs.
Thus, these technicians would have been exposed to asbestos in some form or the other.
Research has shown the enormous health dangers of all types of asbestos.
Various research studies undertaken during the 20th century established the undeniable fact of the danger of asbestos exposure on the health of those exposed. It was established that asbestos causes various diseases known as asbestos-related disease (ARD). These included both cancerous and non-cancerous disease.
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral comprising thousands of densely packed fibers.
Asbestos has two distinct characteristics of being friable or non-friable:
Friable refers to asbestos that is loosely bound and can be crumbled to powder by simple crushing of the hands.
Non-friable refers to asbestos fibers tightly packed and cannot be disturbed easily. However, over time and with sufficient wear and tear it can take the role of the friable form.
In both cases, when asbestos is disturbed, it releases thousands of fibers into the air, which are microscopic and cannot be seen by the naked eye.People in the vicinity of these fibers can inhale them or even swallow them and that is when the problems start for people.
“Some asbestos fibers may bypass…your body’s natural defenses…and lodge deep within your lungs. Those fibers can remain in place for a very long time and may never be removed.”Source: American Lung Association |
Dose-response and Latency with Asbestos-Related Diseases
The more the amount of asbestos exposure a person undergoes the higher is the risk of acquiring an ARD. Since asbestos is very durable, it can stay in the body for a long time without being decomposed.
When people inhale fibers or swallow them, the fibers can stay in the lungs or the lining of the lungs or the lining of the abdomen for a long time. Once inside, these fibers can irritate the tissues and form scarring that can cause both cancerous and non-cancerous ARDs.
Asbestos fibers can affect a number of organs and systems in the body.
High exposure to asbestos raises the risk of acquiring lung, throat, esophagus,and gastrointestinal system cancers.One of the rare and deadliest forms of cancer is mesothelioma and asbestos is the primary cause of this cancer of the lining of the lung.
“Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after exposure.”Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)2 |
Asbestosis is a breathing disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers.
Asbestos is also a cause of non-cancerous disease known as asbestosis, which is the scarring of lung tissue by the asbestos lodged in the lung. Similarly, a pleural disease is caused by asbestos, which is the thickening of the lining of the lung.
These ARDs are a direct result of high dose of asbestos exposure and therefore termed as dose-response disease.
All ARDs have long latency periods. This means that it takes a long time for the ARD to show up in a diagnosis. There have been cases of lung cancer being diagnosed 30 years after asbestos exposure and mesothelioma 40 years after exposure. Asbestosis can take 15-20 years to show up on a chest x-ray.
Thus, it can be seen that flooring installers and their helpmates can suffer from high risk of asbestos exposure and end up with an ARD, which could also be cancerous.
The scale of the havoc created by asbestos canbe seenfrom figures derived from available data by EWG Action Fund, which estimates that between 1999 and 2017,there were an estimated 236,981 to 277,654 American deaths from asbestos exposure, averaging 12,000 to 15,000 deaths a year from asbestos-related diseases even now.
“The overall evidence suggests there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.”Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)3 |
Flooring Installers Still Vulnerable to Asbestos-Related Diseases
Flooring installers and support staff who have worked on buildings in the 20th century prior to 1982 would have been exposed to asbestos because floor tiles and other substances like adhesives then did have ACMs in them. Thus, such installers still living today would run the risk of acquiring an ARD because of high-dose response. They could be diagnosed late in life because of the long latency period.
The possibility is high because protective measures were not available then and almost all installers would have been subject to asbestos exposure. Therefore, such installers should see their physicians periodically to rule out the possibility of an ARD.
Nearly every building constructed before the mid-1980s contained asbestos-containing building materials and products, including flooring materials like tiles. Anyone working in construction or demolition of those structures is potentially at risk of asbestos exposure and asbestos-related diseases. asbestos-related diseases.
As mentioned earlier, buildings constructed prior to 1982 did use flooring tiles with ACMs in them. If they continue to be standing today, then they have the potential to cause asbestos exposure if the building is taken up for renovation or demolition. When flooring installers remove floor tiles with ACMs, then the asbestos in the tiles would be disturbed, releasing asbestos fibers and thus cause exposure to the people working on them.
They have to take precautions while undertaking repairs or renovation or demolition of buildings that may have ACMs in them. One thing going for them is the host of regulations and laws that federal and state agencies have implemented to make people working with risks of asbestos exposure safe.
The regulations prescribe preventive measures like wearing masks and Nomex coveralls to protect them from asbestos exposure. Various federal and state agencies have developed standards for asbestos removal and disposal.
Some of the important measures suggested are the following:
Asbestos: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls
Safety in the Use of Asbestos
Asbestos Health and Safety Requirements
Asbestos Laws and Regulations
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Asbestos In the Home
People who worked in these industries prior the mid-1980s have a higher risk of developing asbestos-related diseases:
| Construction | Factories | Foundries | Refineries | Shipyards | Mining / Milling |
| Demolition | Insulation | Steelworkers | Pipe Fitting | Shipbuilding | Mechanics |
| Roofing | Textiles | Iron workers | Boilers | Firefighting | Brake Repair |
| Flooring | Cement | Electricians | Gasket Repair | Railroad | HVAC |
Unfortunately so do their families.
Second-Hand Asbestos Exposure: Families of Flooring Installers are Vulnerable
An undesirable consequence of flooring installers who have worked with asbestos is the harm they bring to their families living with them through secondary asbestos exposure. This is similar to what happens when people who don’t smoke are in the company of smokers. Such people suffer risks similar to that of smokers but to a much lesser degree.
Flooring installers often returned from work carrying asbestos fibers on their clothes, tools and body – exposing their families and others in the household and family vehicles.
Flooring installers who return from work can carry asbestos fibers on their person, clothing, skin, footwear, tools, documents, and vehicles. These fibers can be released at home contaminating the air inside. Therefore, people living in the homes are also exposed to asbestos to a much lesser degree than the floor installers. This is known as secondhand asbestos exposure.
These family members are subject to both dose-response and latency characteristics of asbestos. Children would be more vulnerable because of latency.
Do You Qualify For Compensation?
Quickly and easily find out how you were exposed by searching W.A.R.D., the largest asbestos database on the planet.
FREE SEARCH >Asbestos Claims Compensation for Flooring Installers and their Families
Flooring installers and their families suffering from ARDs have recourse to law under which they can claim compensation for the suffering they have undergone from the people responsible for producing the ACMs.
They have several options that include filing an injury lawsuit, claiming from an asbestos trust, claiming compensation and damages for wrongful death, and claiming damages for fatality, medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future work, disability, and poor quality of future life.
Even family members who are victims of secondhand asbestos exposure can file Secondhand asbestos exposure lawsuits.
Asbestos Claims for U.S. Veterans
Veterans who have worked in the defense services have separate channels that they can approach to claim compensation and damages.
Veterans are eligible for VA disability compensation if they have a health condition that’s caused by exposure to asbestos and if they had contact with asbestos while serving in the military.
Veterans can file a claim online now. They can also file by mail, in person, or with the help of a trained professional.
When to use a professional asbestos attorney
The procedure to claim compensation and damages is quite taxing and demanding as there are several federal laws and multiple state laws to contend with and therefore it is advisable to approach a competent asbestos lawyer like www.asbestosclaims.law, a division of Justinian C. Lane, Esq. – PLLC.
This firm has expertise in all aspects related to asbestos because it focuses only on asbestos claims and the best part of this firm is that it collects its fees from the victims only after the victims receive their compensation.
Over $30 Billion is still available (without a lawsuit). Stake your claim.  |
Asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts: Asbestos compensation without a lawsuit
An asbestos bankruptcy trust is one in which the asbestos industry sets up finances to compensate people for injuries caused by asbestos exposure. The Courts have jurisdiction over these trusts and they can order the compensation to be paid from these trusts.
Two examples of trusts compensating flooring installers include:
Johns-Manville Corporation Asbestos Trust
Johns Manville Corporation Asbestos Trust paid $5.1 billion from its trust to settle 970,291 cases.
Armstrong World Industries Asbestos Trust
Armstrong World Industries paid $2.8 billion from its trust to settle 342,554 cases
Both asbestos trusts compensate various classes of workers, including construction and demolition workers and tilers.
Asbestos Exposure and Flooring Installers Risks and Prevention
Asbestos was a magic substance that saw widespread usage during the 20th century in a variety of industries in the form of ACMs. However, later events and various health studies established that asbestos was a dangerous substance that caused ARDs, which included cancers.
Various countries recognized the harmful nature of asbestos and 69 countries banned the substance in their respective countries. The U.S. banned use of asbestos selectively, but tasked the EPA to regulate the use, removal, and disposal of asbestos in the country.
One of the occupations that was hugely affected by asbestos was the one of flooring installers.
These workers were working with floor tiles throughout their lives and because floor tiles had ACMs in them, these workers were exposed primarily to asbestos. Because of dose-response and latency characteristics of asbestos, some of the flooring installers were afflicted with ARD.
These workers have recourse to claiming compensation from the producers of asbestos and the companies that used ACMs through lawsuits or via asbestos trusts without preferring lawsuit.
The families of these workers may also be eligible for compensation because of their secondary asbestos exposure.
Veterans who have worked in the military have separate channels for claiming compensation for their suffering from asbestos exposure while in service.
While asbestos has been either banned or regulated strictly, the incidence of asbestos exposure will be reduced drastically. But flooring installers will still be vulnerable to asbestos exposure because old buildings built during the 20th century and still standing may contain ACMs. When flooring installers undertake repairs or renovate or demolish buildings they may be exposed to asbestos if they have not protected themselves as per regulations.
However, employers have become more careful and they take precautions before sending their workers on assignments that involve ACMs.
It is advisable for flooring installers potentially exposed to asbestos to periodically get a health check done without fail to rule out any asbestos-related disease.
AsbestosClaims.Law
At AsbestosClaims.Law, our mission to secure compensation for asbestos victims is more than professional; it’s personal.
Our founder, Justinian C. Lane, understands the devastating impacts of asbestos firsthand.
Both his grandparents and father, all asbestos workers, passed away from asbestos-induced cancers without realizing their eligibility for asbestos lawsuits or other forms of compensation.
We aim to prevent such tragic oversights by informing and guiding victims and their families through their legal options.
If you or your loved ones have suffered as a result of asbestos exposure, you could be eligible for considerable compensation. These funds could provide for medical treatments, asbestos removal services, and safeguard your health.
In addition, asbestos trusts offer compensation without the need for a lawsuit, providing a quicker, simpler path to justice.
Reach out to us at [email protected] or (206) 455-9190 for assistance with your claim. We offer compassionate listening, clear explanations, and we don’t charge a dime unless we win your case.
Beyond legal claims, we also advise on veterans’ disability, social security, and employment protection like workers’ compensation, FELA, and The Jones Act for maritime workers.
There’s no risk or cost to connect with our experienced team about your rights. Our commitment to your well-being means no fees unless you receive compensation.
| For further queries or concerns about asbestos, explore our website and YouTube page, featuring infographics, videos, and answers to common questions on asbestos-related topics. |
We’ve also introduced W.A.R.D., the Worldwide Asbestos Research Database. It’s the most comprehensive resource for asbestos-related information.
W.A.R.D. assists in pinpointing potential exposure scenarios, asbestos-containing products, and can indicate the types and potential amounts of compensation you may be entitled to receive.
Don’t delay — get in touch with us today!
1 Asbestosis is prevalent in a variety of construction industry trades, Walters, G.I., Robertson, A.S., Bhomra, P.S. and Burge, P.S., 2018. NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, 28(1), p.11.
2 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
3 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.