Asbestos and Respiratory Diseases

Asbestos and Respiratory Diseasesimportant to talk with your doctor. You should also
Could your job be making you sick? For too manystart keeping a written record of things you notice
workers, that's a real danger. The air they breathe onabout your condition, according to AAFP, including:
the job is a health hazard. According to the Centers* when symptoms started
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),* how often they occur
occupationally-related airway diseases, including* if they get worse or better at certain times of the
asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseday or on certain days
(COPD), pose a significant public health threat. CDC* what potential hazards you may be exposed to at
says nearly 30 percent of COPD and adult asthmawork, as well as what precautions you have been told
may be attributable to occupational exposure andto follow when around these hazards
more than 20 million U.S. workers are exposed to* what days and shifts you work and how these
substances that can cause airway diseases.relate to the way you feel
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseYou can also talk with other workers to see if they're
(primarily chronic bronchitis and emphysema) areexperiencing unusual symptoms, as well as your
diseases of the lung airways. CDC says both diseasessupervisors. Depending on the type of exposure,
can be brought on by exposure to irritants in thesolutions can include more ventilation as well as
workplace. In addition, many workers are unaware thatchanges in work practices and/or machinery. It's also
pre-existing asthma and COPD may be worsened byimportant that anyone who is concerned about lung
the work environment.exposure quit smoking if they haven't already done so.
On-the-job hazardsThe Dangers of Asbestos
What kind of irritants are we talking about? Here's areLearn the dangers of asbestos. Before 1972 the most
some examples, compiled from CDC, the Americancommon element used to insulate buildings was
Lung Association (ALA), and the American Academyasbestos. Only later did we find out that breathing in
of Family Physicians (AAFP):the element could result in lung restrictive illnesses and
* Asbestos was commonly used as an insulator anddeath.
fire retardant until scientists discovered that asbestosUntil 1972, most of the buildings in this country were
fibers are deadly, potentially causing asbestosis (constructed with asbestos, including schools, offices
scarring of lung tissues) and lung cancer. Workersand homes. At the time, no one had any idea that
most at risk of asbestos exposure include those inwhen inhaled asbestos was deadly. Today, people and
mining, construction, demolition, shipyards, tiling, electricalasbestos precariously coexist in old buildings. However,
insulation, and paving, among other industries. ALAit is only when asbestos is disturbed that it becomes a
says it can be years between exposure to asbestoshealth threat to human beings.
and development of symptoms.Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that was
* Dust can come from such things as wood, cotton,used commonly in buildings for insulation. Asbestos
coal, asbestos, silica and talc. ALA says dusts fromfibers are exceptionally strong and are resistant to
textile processing cause byssinosis ("brown lung"), aheat. Asbestos is commonly found in ceiling tiles,
chronic condition involving obstruction of the smallflooring and pipes.
airways. Coal dust causes coal workers'Asbestos only becomes a danger when it is disturbed,
pneumoconiosis or "black lung," also an obstruction ofcausing the fibers to become airborne. This is
the small airways. Silica affects workers in mines,commonly referred to as friable asbestos, while intact
foundries, blasting operations, and stone, glass, and clayasbestos is referred to as non-friable asbestos. Friable
manufacturing.asbestos has become airborne and the human lungs
Fumes can be given off by metals that are heatedare now susceptible to breathing in the airborne fibers.
and cooled quickly, according to AAFP. Examples ofResearch has yet to determine a safe level of
jobs that involve exposure to such fumes are welding,exposure to asbestos, but one thing is for certain; the
smelting, furnace work, pottery making, plasticsmore prolonged the exposure, the greater the risk
manufacture and rubber operations.becomes for developing an asbestos related disease.
* Toxins found in various grains are a risk for hundredsDoctors often compare the dangers associated with
of thousands of agricultural workers. Moldy hay canasbestos to those of smoking cigarettes. The more
produce flu-like symptoms according to AAFP. Farmcigarettes one smokes, the greater the danger for
workers are also at risk of exposure to hair, feathers,developing lung cancer. Similarly, the more one is
animal dander, and bacteria.exposed to asbestos, the greater the chance for
* Anthrax is caused by the bacterium Bacillusdeveloping an asbestos related disease. This is why
anthracis. It most commonly occurs in hoofedasbestos poisoning is often called an occupational
mammals such as sheep, cattle, horses, and goats.hazard disease, because the people who commonly
Farm workers,veterinarians, and those who workwork with the material are the most at risk for
tanning hides or processing wool are at risk ofdeveloping an asbestos related disease.
contracting the disease by inhaling spores of theThere are three diseases that are triggered by inhaling
bacterium. In addition to inhaled anthrax, there is also aasbestos fibers: asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung
skin form of anthrax.cancer. Asbestosis is caused when asbestos fibers
* Gases such as formaldehyde, ammonia, and chlorine,are inhaled and become trapped in the lungs. In
can be found in jobs where chemical reactions occurresponse, the body tries to dissolve the fibers by
and in jobs with high heat operations, such as weldingproducing an acid. While not destroying the fibers, the
and furnace work.acid serves to scar the lung tissue. Eventually the
* Vapors can be given off by solvents, and usuallyscarring can become so severe that the lungs
irritate the nose and throat first, before they affect thebecome unable to function. The time from exposure to
lungs according to AAFP.the manifestation of asbestosis in most patients is
* Paints, lacquers, hair spray, pesticides, cleaningbetween 25 to 40 years. Mesothelioma is a cancer of
products, acids, and solvents can also cause damagethe outside tissue of the lungs.
to the airways.This cancer is solely linked to asbestos. The time from
* Latex allergies have become a major problem forexposure to manifestation of mesothelioma is from 15
health care workers, as a result of increased use ofto 35 years. Cancer of the lungs can also be caused
protective gloves. CDC says studies show that overby exposure to asbestos. However, the chances of
one in fifty healthcare workers have developeddeveloping lung cancer from asbestos are greatly
latex-related asthma.increased with smoking. The exposure to
* If someone is exposed to carcinogens or irritants atmanifestation period for lung cancer from asbestos
work, smoking can make things much worse. ALAexposure is from 15 to 35 years.
says smokers who are exposed to such carcinogensDespite many common myths, initial exposure cannot
as asbestos and radiation, greatly increase theirbe detected by medical x-rays or physiological
chances of getting lung cancer and other lungsymptoms. Asbestos exposure does not cause
diseases.headaches, fever, or muscle aches. The symptoms of
Symptomsexposure go unnoticed for at least 15 years. However,
Exposure to any of the above substances canat the time of manifestation, doctors can determine
produce a wide range of symptoms. These can rangeasbestos exposure.
from a runny nose and scratchy throat, to bronchitis,The risk of being exposed to asbestos is increased by
persistent cough, fever, and problems breathing. AAFPthe presence of construction. Work on ceilings and
says that if a worker develops unusual symptomsflooring can cause the asbestos to become friable.
after switching to a new job, for example, or afterThis is why non-friable asbestos is often
being at a particular job for awhile, this could indicate arecommended to be left in tact and not removed.
work-related disorder.Asbestos does not just chip away or decompose, it
In addition, if someone develops asthma for the firstmust be physically disturbed to pose a threat to human
time as an adult, it could be related to something athealth.
their job. Asthma symptoms include wheezing, aIf asbestos is required to be removed, either before or
persistent dry cough or trouble breathing. Emphysemaduring a construction project, or due to an accidental
is another condition that can develop after exposure todisturbance, state laws require that certain precautions
workplace dangers, including coal, asbestos or silicaand procedures take place. These regulations aim to
dust. Symptoms include cough, fatigue, chest tightnessensure that the appropriate steps are taken during an
and difficulty breathing.abatement procedure, and all health and safety
If you suspect a work-related respiratory condition, it'sprecautions are taken.