The 2009 August edition of The American Journal of Industrial Medicine published a new study showing that sheet metal workers are at a much higher risk of contracting asbestos diseases. The study confirms that workers with over 20 years in the trade are at high risk for mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis.
Most of the metal workers diagnosed with these diseases were exposed to asbestos prior to the 1980’s when little was done about asbestos exposure on the job or in the home. Sheet metal workers often came in contact with asbestos while working on ducts in the ceilings of buildings where it was used in ceiling tiles and fire-resistant beams.
Asbestos exposure has also been linked to diseases in miners, drywall installers, shipyard workers, and construction workers. Many workers do not find out that they have these diseases until their condition is advanced and little can be done.
Many workers are taking legal action against the sheet metal industry in order to receive financial support for their medical expenses. The full study results are available from Wiley InterScience, the publisher of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.
Tags: asbestos, mesothelioma
