Workers involved in industrial trades and construction, especially prior to the mid-1970s, may have faced exposure to asbestos on the job and risk developing the asbestos cancer mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
It is estimated that between 1940 and 1970, approximately 27.5 million American workers were exposed to asbestos on the job. The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has stated that asbestos exposure has demonstrated more damaging effects on workers’ health than any other toxic substance. According to one estimate, there have been over 3,000 uses of asbestos. Job sites where asbestos was once prevalent include steel mills, petroleum refineries and petrochemical plants, foundries, power plants, chemical plants, shipyards, construction sites, and heavy industry. Remarkably, asbestos is still not banned in the U.S., although efforts are underway for a national ban of asbestos-containing products.
For more information about OSHA regulations governing asbestos in the workplace, go to www.osha.gov.
