Articles Posted in Asbestos Exposure

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In 2016 it is safe to say that most adults are generally aware of what asbestos is and how it can lead to malignant mesothelioma.  This was not always the case.  In fact, even back 2,000 years ago, when asbestos was first used by humans, there were those who knew it was causing serious illness.  While they had no idea of how the cancer worked or spread, there have been documents recovered that show people becoming sick and dying after being in contact with the deadly fibers.

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The reason asbestos was used back then is because it is a naturally-occurring substance that easy to get out of the earth unlike other minerals and is naturally resistance to heat, fire, caustic chemicals, and electricity.  However, it was during the industrial revolution in Western Europe and America that asbestos became heavily used in virtually every aspect of production.  At that time it was still being used for its natural insulation abilities, but the companies were becoming well aware of the dangers it posed to mine workers extracting the silica compound from the earth and to everyone involved in the production of asbestos products, and to those using the asbestos productions in residential and commercial construction. Continue reading

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We are all aware that when a surgeon considers whether or not to perform surgery, he or she will typically look at the risks and the associated benefits of having a particular procedure.  Age is one of the factors that typically comes into play when making a decision about the risks involved.  There is no question that general anesthesia can be dangerous for elderly patients, and this will cause doctors to avoid performing many types of surgeries that cannot be done with local anesthesia.

surgeon-3-391477-mPatients with malignant mesothelioma, especially malignant pleural mesothelioma (involving the lungs) will typically need to undergo major surgery in addition to having chemotherapy and/or radiation.  Many patients will need to have a major section of the lungs removed and then have a heated dose of chemotherapy drugs applied internally directly to the place where the tumor was removed.  This is about as major a surgery as there is and there is no realistic way to do this while a patient is under a local anesthesia drug. Continue reading

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According to a recent news article from Mass Live, a large energy firm in Holyoke has received $700,000 in tax incentives to move forward with a planned major expansion. Much of these funds will be used for asbestos abatement.

vermiculiteTown officials, members of a public development corporation, and company representatives met in Worcester to finalize the deal.  The company will not have to pay any property taxes for the next 10 years and that amounts to a savings or around $700,000.   There are also state tax credits included in this figure above and beyond the property tax normally payable to the county. Continue reading

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A recent news feature from Mass Live discusses a plan for a new Mercedes Dealership to open in Chicopee, Massachusetts.  While the opening of a car dealership would not normally be all that news worthy, this large dealership is expected to constitute a major investment in the region of around $12 million.

decrepit-window-1438561-mThis new dealership is slated to be built on the site of long vacated Plantation Inn, which was once a popular hotel.  The now vacated hotel once regularly had no trouble booking its 187 guest rooms and sits on a considerable amount of land.  Part of the reason for the expensive plan to build the new dealership is because the hotel was built at time when asbestos was used heavily during the construction process. Continue reading

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According to recent news feature from CBS Boston, a busted water pipe at Consentino Middle School in Haverhill, Massachusetts has caused major damage.  Students were not present due to a winter vacation, which is becoming more common as New England schools save on heating costs.

rustypipes-300x225School officials say the pipe burst unexpectedly and no less than tens of thousands of gallons of water came rushing out into the school’s library. The reason the pipe burst was because a heating coil installed to prevent the pipes from freezing malfunctioned.  It froze and stopped working, and the water inside the pipe froze.  When the frozen water expanded it caused the pipe to crack.  At this point, the water in the pipe thawed from the heat in the library, and the water came rushing out. Continue reading

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According to a news article from CBS Boston, a plumber in Worcester has been convicted on child endangerment charges.  The facts as alleged by prosecutors were that defendant hired a teenage worker to remove asbestos insulation.  This teenage worker was not trained in asbestos removal or properly certified and was not provided with any protective clothing or a respirator/ventilator as required by Massachusetts law.

rustypipes-300x225The 43-year-old plumber allegedly violated numerous regulations (worker safety and environmental) during the course of this illegal asbestos abatement job.  He was hired to replace two very old boilers that were in the basement of the Worcester home.  These boilers were covered with asbestos insulation, which was very common in boilers manufactured during the time period in which they were produced and installed in the home. Continue reading

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Anyone who has ever read the work of Mark Twain or watched any number of classic movies is aware that steamboats with giant paddle wheels once traveled up and down the Mississippi River on a regular basis.  There were grand boats with multiple decks and featured casinos, shows and balconies overlooking the water.

paddle-steamer-1421737-300x202While these large paddle wheelers have not been used for nearly a century for the purpose of transportation, they have served as popular tourist attractions. However, the boats that are left are reproductions of the original giant paddle wheelers.  In fact the Mississippi Queen currently operating on the river is a modern replacement of another replica constructed in 1976.  Continue reading

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There has been a lot of talk recently about a bill known as the Further Asbestos Claims Transparency Act or “FACT.” While the GOP sponsors of the FACT bill argue that it will help get rid of false claims by veterans who say they were exposed to asbestos while in service to our nation, Democrats who are opposed to this proposed piece of asbestos legislation say it is essentially an unfair giveaway to the large corporations who are trying to avoid having to pay damages related to asbestos exposure.

old-worn-out-boots-1013579-m-300x261In addition to Senator Dick Durbin and other Democrats in Congress, nearly 20 different veterans’ rights groups are voicing their collective opposition to the FACT bill.  According to a recent news feature from Stars and Stripes, this includes organizations such as AMVETS, the Military Officers Association of America, the Vietnam Veterans of America, and various other veterans groups. Continue reading

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In Brown v. Lockheed Martin, an appeal from the United States Court of Appeal for the Second Circuit, from around 1950 through 1970, decedent worked as an aviation mechanic for the United States Air Force.  He was working at bases in the United States and in Europe during the years he was serving our nation.  He was exposed to asbestos on a regular basis during those years.

turbineenginepartsPlaintiff was eventually diagnosed with malignant plural mesothelioma as a result of his years of exposure to deadly asbestos fibers.  Asbestos is in a naturally occurring mineral that has been used for thousands of years due to its natural resistance to heat, fire, caustic chemicals and electricity.  However, it was during the industrial revolution in the United States and Europe that it became used in virtually every facet of industry, including production of goods and in the construction trades.  Continue reading

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For those that have never seen the St. Louis Gateway Arch, it is hard to comprehend the scale of this magnificent landmark. In addition to the Arch itself, in which you can ride an elevator to the top and get a view of entire St. Louis area, there is an underground museum that is currently undergoing major construction.

arch-1-15160091-300x225While the work was initially going according to plan, work came to a standstill about three months ago when a contractor unintentionally cut into asbestos insulation that was surrounding an old steam pipe, as discussed in a recent news feature from the St. Louis Dispatch. Once the pipe was cut and the asbestos was detected, the entire work site had to be evacuated and all work had to stop at once. At this point, a certified asbestos abatement contractor was called in to the jobsite to perform a full assessment of the damage and to determine the next course of action. They soon discovered that this pipe had been cut by workers before the incident, which caused an evacuation work stoppage, and this other cut had been made about a month earlier. They were able to determine this based upon the location of the cut. This obviously caused fear among workers and project managers. Continue reading

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