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