Due to its inherent ability to withstand high amounts of heat, friction, chemicals and electrical currents, asbestos has been used in thousands of applications, ranging from building materials to fireproof gear. However, because long-term asbestos exposure can cause a number of severe health issues, anything that contains asbestos – including asbestos thermal products – must, by law, carry a warning label identifying known asbestos risks.
Despite these asbestos warning labels, however, some people will still develop life-threatening asbestos-related conditions, such as lung or mesothelioma cancer.
Types of Thermal Products that Contain Asbestos
Durable, versatile asbestos thermal products can include: · fireproof clothes, blankets and gear · gas masks
- insulation, including cement, pipe and wall insulation
- thermal paper supplies
- thermal sealants, coatings and sprays
Because many of these asbestos thermal products are used regularly and frequently, they will naturally breakdown, releasing toxic asbestos fibers into the air. Keep in mind that, while intact asbestos is not particularly hazardous, disturbed asbestos fibers, especially those that stay suspended in the air for days, are extremely carcinogenic (cancer causing).
Unfortunately, asbestos exposure through thermal products affects not only those who use the thermal products but also those who manufacture them. In fact, factory workers who made asbestos thermal products and related asbestos textiles before 1980 are among those with the highest risk of developing asbestos diseases due to the lack of safety regulations in place prior to this decade.
Today, despite the fact that asbestos regulations are in place, factory workers who make asbestos thermal products can still have a higher risk than the general public of developing asbestos diseases, particularly if employers are negligent or non-compliant with asbestos safety regulations.
Where Asbestos Thermal Products Are Found
Many of us come into contact with asbestos thermal products on a daily basis in our homes, at work or during our leisure time. Some of the most common places that asbestos thermal products can be found include:
- in bricks or wall coverings (such as stucco)
- in heating and plumbing devices
- in kilns, furnaces or industrial boilers
- in parts of small appliances
- in walls and floors
- on roofs (Both roofing tar and shingles can contain asbestos)
To minimize asbestos exposure, people are advised to:
- properly ventilate areas containing asbestos
- replace asbestos, when possible, with suitable substitute materials
- wash their hands and change their clothing after coming into contact with asbestos fibers
- wear face masks around disturbed asbestos
To learn more about asbestos thermal products or other asbestos issue, contact mesothelioma treatment centers today.
