It seems obvious that no one would work at a job where they are at risk for cancer. But what if they don’t know they are? Unfortunately, throughout most of the 20th century, asbestos was used as a primary material in many occupations and industries. For a long time it was unknown that asbestos was a deadly carcinogen, and even after it was discovered, workers often were not told. Asbestos was finally banned in the United States in 1989.
Now, many of those workers have received a cancer diagnosis. The type of cancer that is caused by asbestos is called mesothelioma, and it’s an aggressive and deadly disease. While unfortunately nothing can be done in these cases besides experimental treatment, it’s important to spread awareness to employees who may still be working in these dangerous fields. Even if someone worked one of these jobs in the past, they could have been exposed to asbestos and should get checked out by a doctor if experiencing symptoms.
Below are 8 occupations with a high risk of asbestos exposure. You can see a full list here.
Oil Rig & Refinery Workers
Employees in oil rigs face many risks, an extremely high risk of getting cancer. So many pieces of equipment in the oil industry utilize asbestos, and it can even be found in protective equipment like gloves. Asbestos was used to insulate pipes, ovens, pumps, boilers, and many other tools found on an oil rig.
Painters
When painters are preparing to paint a wall, they need to use materials that could contain asbestos. Spackle, plaster, and joint compound are all risky materials, and even the drywall itself has asbestos. Anyone renovating older buildings is inevitably going to be exposed to asbestos, because it was such a commonly used building material. Paint also used to be made with it, so when painters are removing those old layers of paint they are at risk. Unfortunately, protective masks are often not enough of a barrier.
Aircraft Workers
Even though airplanes are no longer built using asbestos, they were until 1980. Even now, plenty of replacement parts or maintenance products still contain the dangerous carcinogen. Many U.S. Airforce members and aircraft mechanics unfortunately developed cancer due to the exposure.
Naval Seamen
Navy ships themselves used to be built with asbestos, so it was impossible to avoid on the ship. It was a perfect material to prevent fires, and no one was aware of its risks at the time. Now, under the Jones Act, seamen can recover damages for an asbestos-related cancer diagnosis.
HVAC Workers
Due to its heat resistance, asbestos was a great material to be used in heating and cooling systems for many years. It is known for its ability to absorb heat and reduce fires, and most buildings still contain it unless they were built after the 1980’s. Workers who are around these systems are ultimately going to be exposed and should do their best to wear protective gear.
Power Plant & Utility Workers
Because of asbestos’ ability to reflect heat, it was used throughout power plants for many years. Most powerhouses were built before 1990, meaning that asbestos was still widely used in parts like valves, boilers, tanks, insulation, and cement. It was a great solution for all of the fire risks in a powerhouse, but it also gave workers cancer.
Auto Mechanics
The use of asbestos in auto mechanic shops is not as up to date as in the construction industry. Although decreasing, the use of asbestos is still fairly common in the car industry. Some of the auto parts that may contain asbestos include brake pads, brake drum linings, gaskets, valve rings, and clutch facings. While asbestos is fairly harmless when left alone, the auto industry often includes drilling or grinding into parts that could contain asbestos, and that’s when the exposure occurs.