Mesothelioma cancer is a disease that usually develops in the thin lining of the lungs and abdomen. Prolonged exposure to asbestos or asbestos, a group of fibrous minerals of natural origin, is one of the main causes of this disease.
In this post, we tell you where the asbestos is and who are the risk groups exposed to this disease.
Who is at risk of getting sick from asbestos?
Worldwide, 125 million workers are exposed to asbestos in their workplace, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In the United States, however, the use of asbestos has not yet been banned. Houses and buildings built before 1975 are likely to have asbestos. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency US (EPA, for its acronym in English: Environmental Protection Agency ) included asbestos in a list of 10 substances to assess risks to health and the environment, according to ABC New s *.
Workers with certain occupations, who worked in the mid-1900s, are more at risk than others of getting sick from having been in direct and secondary contact with these minerals, such as the following occupations:
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Painters
- Carpenters
- Machinists
- Construction workers
- Employees from industries that produce products with asbestos
- Cement plant workers
- Asbestos plant workers
- Workers who do isolation processes
- Maintenance and air conditioning technicians
- Building inspectors
- Refinery workers
- Employees of paper and glass factories
- Firefighters and first aid personnel
- Workers in the automotive industry
- Road builders and routes
Shipyard workers who worked in the boiler, in the construction, demolition and repair of vessels
- Workers of the textile industry
- Workers of a chemical plant
- Naval machinists
The loved ones of the workers who inhaled and handled materials with asbestos and the populations that live near the places where they worked with asbestos are also at risk groups.
What are the industries that expose us the most to asbestos?
Some industries carry a higher risk of developing mesothelioma due to the presence of asbestos or asbestos. Some of them are:
- Building
- Factories / plants
- Manufacture
- Naval building
- Military
- Metal
- Chemistry
- Aerospace
- Food
- Automotive
- Pulpería
- Railway
In what products and materials can asbestos be found?
Before it was banned, asbestos was used in the manufacture of products such as:
- Adhesives
- Cables
- Cement
- Packing tape / rope
- Electric capacitors
- Brakes and other auto parts
- Gloves and blankets
- Insulation material
- Grinder
- Floors and ceilings
- Pipe lining
- Pipes and pipes
- Valves
- Valves
- Other work and construction tools
Am I at risk of having an asbestos disease?
Any exposure to asbestos, either by inhalation or handling of this mineral, may increase the risk of developing an asbestos- related disease. Unfortunately, workers may also have brought home asbestos on their skin, clothing and hair, which could also put their families at risk.
Take the necessary measures
If any of your loved ones or you worked in contact with asbestos, visit a doctor immediately. The fight against cancer is a borderline situation that affects us all. Therefore, it is very important that we have as much information as possible available about cancer in order to make the most convenient decisions for ourselves and our loved ones. The early diagnosis of mesothelioma can help us improve our quality of life and that of our families.
