Asbestos: The Hidden Killer

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to warn workers of the dangers of asbestos as figures show it killed almost 1,300 people in the South over the last quarter of a century.

Safety campaigners argue that “Britain’s biggest workplace killer”, which led to the shocking death toll between 1981 and 2005, could strike a new generation of workers unless the building trade gets to grips with the hazardous substance.

Asbestos was widely used as an insulating material until the 1970s but can trigger mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer, often years later.

Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show a total of 1,295 men in the south died from mesothelioma over the 24-year period – including 867 in the Hampshire County Council area, 259 in Southampton, 135 on the Isle of Wight and 34 in Salisbury.

The HSE yesterday launched a £1.2m, month-long campaign to warn Britain’s 1.8 million tradesmen about the dangers they face.

Asbestos: The Hidden Killer runs throughout November and will see more than 500,000 information packs sent out, as well as targeted adverts.

The campaign, backed by trade unions, charities and victim support groups, aims to educate workers about the danger asbestos still presents. Although many believe asbestos is a historical problem and they are not at risk, in fact the substance may be present in any building constructed or refurbished before 2000, and it is estimated that about 500,000 workplace premises could contain asbestos.

If repair and maintenance work is not done safely it can lead to asbestos fibres being released into the air by drilling or cutting, and workers breathing them in.

Former tradesman Stan Thomas, 71, of Totton, one of Hampshire’s longest survivors of mesothelioma, has told his story for the HSE’s campaign.

He said: “I can’t change the past but if I can stop just one person getting what I have got, it is a winner.”

The father-of-two and grandfather-of-one worked as a heating engineer for 38 years and when he collapsed in December 2005 – four years after retirement – doctors told him he was dying.

Most people are given six to 12 months to live. He has made it into his fourth year.

Now, Stan and his wife Rita have had to adapt to a new life and, as an active member of the Hampshire Asbestos Support and Awareness Group, he hopes to save lives.

He said: “It is all about raising awareness asbestos might be present in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000.

Workers need to be aware that it comes in so many different forms and it can be easily missed.

“My advice is simple – be very wary and look for asbestos and if you do see it get advice. Simply, don’t go near it!

Stan said you only need to remove a screw from an asbestos panel to release a fibre and said just one fibre is enough to kill you. He said: “Irrespective of what others say about the low risk of asbestos, there is no low risk about it.”

This article is from www.thisishampshire.net

Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Patients with mesothelioma suffer from malignant cells proliferating in the mesothelium, a type of protective tissue that encases our bodies vital organs. The cancer’s attack on the mesothelium wreaks havoc in the patient’s body, causing tumors, swelling, the accumulation of fluid in the chest and abdominal cavities, inflammation, and a general breakdown of many organ systems. Sadly, mesothelioma has a poor prognosis; most cases are very difficult to treat effectively and almost all cases are terminal.

The substance that causes mesothelioma, asbestos, was used in a variety of industries until the mid 1980’s. Its continued use after the discovery was made of its ill effects in the 1930’s has been a widespread cause for legal action in the United States and the rest of the Western world. Asbestos is incredibly dangerous, and while OSHA does define standards for maximum levels of asbestos in the workplace, Britain’s HSE (Health and Safety Executive) maintains that there’s no safety threshold for asbestos, that is, any amount of the substance should be considered dangerous.

The cancer cannot be diagnosed by its symptoms alone; it must be diagnosed either by a chest X-ray or by a tissue sample also known as a biopsy. Symptoms of mesothelioma have been described as flu like and include shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing, chest pain, weight loss, fatigue, weakness and yellowing of the eyes and skin. If you or someone in your family has been exposed to asbestos in the workplace you may be legally entitled to some compensation.

This article is from www.mesothelioma.net

Mesothelioma Symptoms and Diagnosis

The major problem in treating mesothelioma is due to the fact that it remains hidden in the body as long as fifty years and typically isn't discovered until the last minute. One of the main reason why is its resembling symptoms to less severe illnesses.

The procedure for finding typically starts with a collection of the victim's complete health check and job history together with any contact with asbestos. After a careful medical assessment is done and if a trouble is suspected, many more investigative tests will be following.

Most of the time medical imaging tests such as x-ray or CT and MRI scans, plus biopsy procedures that test samples of fluid and tissue for the presence of cancer cells. This also allow to determine how advanced is the cancer and if it has spread to other parts of the body.

Mesothelioma legal issues & your legal rights

Unfortunately, the hazardous influence of asbestos exposure was recognized much earlier than any efforts were made to look after people exposed to asbestos. Thousands of Americans without knowledge as to the risks that they were facing had been in contact to asbestos during the twentieth century.

Therefore, manufacturer that produced asbestos-including goods or used these products on a daily basis are legally responsible for their carelessness in failing to shield their employees.

You may be eligible to file a claim and seek compensation for suffering in addition to repayments for medical expenses and lost income if you or a member of your family has developed mesothelioma or a different asbestos-connected disease as a result of asbestos exposure.

Your may choose to file a claim against the corporation accountable for your asbestos contact this will not only bring justice to the corrupt asbestos industry, it will also grant you the option to be compensated for the costs, as well as harm and despair, associated with asbestos-induced illnesses. Here is the list of the costs for which you can anticipate compensation:

• Lost income
• Medical receipts
• Funeral costs
• Fees not covered by health insurance
• Group support for you and your family
• Transportation costs relating to medical treatments

It's a good idea to hire an experience and knowledgeable attorney specialising in mesothelioma cases who can reassess even more costs that could be covered under your court case, since each situation is unique. Therefore, you should collect all medical and financial invoices associated with your asbestos-related disease for this purpose.

SOURCEThe major problem in treating mesothelioma is due to the fact that it remains hidden in the body as long as fifty years and typically isn't discovered until the last minute. One of the main reason why is its resembling symptoms to less severe illnesses.

The procedure for finding typically starts with a collection of the victim's complete health check and job history together with any contact with asbestos. After a careful medical assessment is done and if a trouble is suspected, many more investigative tests will be following.

Most of the time medical imaging tests such as x-ray or CT and MRI scans, plus biopsy procedures that test samples of fluid and tissue for the presence of cancer cells. This also allow to determine how advanced is the cancer and if it has spread to other parts of the body.

Mesothelioma legal issues & your legal rights

Unfortunately, the hazardous influence of asbestos exposure was recognized much earlier than any efforts were made to look after people exposed to asbestos. Thousands of Americans without knowledge as to the risks that they were facing had been in contact to asbestos during the twentieth century.

Therefore, manufacturer that produced asbestos-including goods or used these products on a daily basis are legally responsible for their carelessness in failing to shield their employees.

You may be eligible to file a claim and seek compensation for suffering in addition to repayments for medical expenses and lost income if you or a member of your family has developed mesothelioma or a different asbestos-connected disease as a result of asbestos exposure.

Your may choose to file a claim against the corporation accountable for your asbestos contact this will not only bring justice to the corrupt asbestos industry, it will also grant you the option to be compensated for the costs, as well as harm and despair, associated with asbestos-induced illnesses. Here is the list of the costs for which you can anticipate compensation:

• Lost income
• Medical receipts
• Funeral costs
• Fees not covered by health insurance
• Group support for you and your family
• Transportation costs relating to medical treatments

It's a good idea to hire an experience and knowledgeable attorney specialising in mesothelioma cases who can reassess even more costs that could be covered under your court case, since each situation is unique. Therefore, you should collect all medical and financial invoices associated with your asbestos-related disease for this purpose.

SOURCE

Second Hand Asbestos Exposure Causes Mesothelioma in Women

A woman who had never been directly exposed to asbestos, but who may have come into contact with it in her own home, has died from the asbestos cancer mesothelioma. Linda Sinnett, 58, was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer which affects the membrane that lines and protects the abdominal cavity.

Most cases of mesothelioma affect the lungs and chest cavity, but all forms of the cancer can usually be traced back to exposure to asbestos, a fibrous mineral which has frequently been incorporated into building materials and insulation products. Most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in individuals who have suffered this exposure at the workplace, but it’s also been known to occur in their loved ones as well, as a result of secondhand exposure.

When the microscopic asbestos fibers are disturbed, they become airborne and can be either inhaled or ingested. They can also cling to clothing, hair and other material, meaning that they can be transported from one location to another. Sinnett’s family assumes that she ingested the asbestos fibers after her father, Ronald, who was a carpenter for the Great Western Railway Works, brought asbestos home on his overalls. The laundry room where Sinnett’s mother would wash the overalls and other clothes was adjacent to the kitchen, and so it’s believed that the fibers contaminated the food and food preparation areas.

Sinnett was survived by a husband, John, 57, and their daughter Kerry Mills, 38.

Asbestos is no longer used as extensively as it once was, although it does remain in use in some limited capacities. It is also still in place in a number of older buildings and structures, so it continues to pose a hazard to anyone who works with or around the material without using the proper safety gear, such as protective clothing and respirators.

Mesothelioma is an unusual disease in that it can take decades to fully manifest and become symptomatic. Even then, the symptoms often resemble those of more common respiratory ailments, and are therefore often ignored or misdiagnosed. By the time an accurate diagnosis is made, the mesothelioma has progressed to a late stage and is usually inoperable.

Although radiation and chemotherapy can be given to reduce symptoms and alleviate pain, most patients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma have a life expectancy of less than two years.

SOURCE

Possible Genetic Predisposition To Mesothelioma

Medical researchers in North Carolina have announced a new study to investigate the possibility of a genetic predisposition to the development of mesothelioma. The Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston Salem, NC and FirstHealth Carolinas, has undertaken research to better understand why only some individuals exposed to asbestos develop mesothelioma.

Dr. Jill Ohar of Wake Forest University, the study’s principal investigator, has spent more than 20 years studying mesothelioma. Her previous work includes research into understanding why some people and families appear more susceptible to developing the disease and whether such susceptibility could be inherited.

“Over years of research, we have determined that there is a strong tendency for mesothelioma to run in families and it tends to be associated with a family history of cancer, which suggests a genetic susceptibility,” Ohar said in a prepared statement about the current study released by FirstHealth Carolinas.

Compared to other groups who were exposed to asbestos, Ohar’s previous research has found that individuals who developed mesothelioma shared certain traits, such as an increased risk of cancer among relatives, according to an article on the research in the March 2007 issue of the medical journal Respiratory Medicine.

Similarly, the current study examines associated environmental factors and genetic markers of individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma to determine the particular genetic factors that make some families more susceptible than others to mesothelioma and other forms of cancer.

Chris Miller, director of clinical trials at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, said the current study presented an exciting opportunity to increase understanding about the causes of mesothelioma.

“The FirstHealth Clinical Trials staff is excited about this opportunity to assist one of our state’s medical research institutions further the knowledge about this deadly disease and the factors that cause it,” Miller said.

FirstHealth of the Carolinas is a private, non-governmental, not-for-profit health care network serving 15 counties in the mid-Carolinas.

SOURCE