Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause asbestos-related diseases
including malignant mesothelioma and other cancers. A potentially dangerous
asbestos exposure can result from very small fibers at low exposure levels.
Most such exposure would likely have occurred prior to the 1980s, but
the latency period can be up to 50 years for most asbestos-related cancers to
develop.
Many people have come into contact with asbestos fibers at their jobs.
This is occupational exposure. There is also a risk to the family members of
those working in at-risk occupations; this exposure is called paraoccupational exposure.
Approximately 70% to 80% of the cases of mesothelioma are believed to be
the direct result of easily identified occupational or paraoccupational
exposure to asbestos fibers.
A third group of people are also at risk, not from their job, but from
where they live. Sites likely to have asbestos include refineries, power
plants, factories, shipyards, steel mills and demolished buildings.
Those who live nearby can be exposed by the release of asbestos fibers
that contaminate their residential neighborhoods.
Specific Industries and Occupations with Asbestos-Exposure Risk
Industries / Job Locations:
- Automotive
repair (brakes & clutches)
- Construction/contractors
- Oil
refineries
- Power
plants
- Railroads
- Steel mills
Occupations:
- Automotive
mechanics
- Bricklayers
- Building
Inspectors
- Carpenters
- Drywallers
- Floor
layers
- Electricians
- Insulators
- Iron
workers
- Laborers
- Longshoremen
- Maintenance
workers
- Millwrights
- Painters
- Plasterers
- Plumbers
- Roofers
- Sheet
metal workers
- Steam
fitters
- Tile
setters
- Welders
For more information on testing and removal go to : www.amityenvironmental.ca
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