Throughout the 20th century, tons of asbestos were mined in our country and put in thousands of everyday products. Asbestos was very inexpensive and was used as filler in many different products throughout many different industries. For example, asbestos was widely used in HVAC duct insulation.
There are a number of different jobs where workers were exposed to a large amount of asbestos on a very frequent basis. People who have worked as HVAC Insulators may have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma cancer due to asbestos exposure on the jobsite.
Heating, vent and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are the systems that we rely on both at home and commercially to raise or lower the inside temperatures to a desired level. Like most applications where heat is involved, asbestos was commonly used in the insulation applied to these HVAC systems.
The mineral was widely popular as filler in insulation materials because it was affordable, strong, resistant to heat and flame and non-conductive. This asbestos insulation was often applied to HVAC system ducts. HVAC workers and HVAC insulators were put at risk of asbestos exposure as the installation and repair of HVAC systems often required workers to handle and manipulate asbestos insulation as well as access areas such as attics, garages and basements that were also often insulated with asbestos materials.
When asbestos insulation has aged, or is handled and disturbed during installation and maintenance, the small fibers create dust that can easily become airborne. When inhaled or ingested, these asbestos fibers can become trapped in the lungs causing scarring and inflammation that may lead to the development of peritoneal mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, or pericardial mesothelioma along with other asbestos-related diseases.
Unfortunately, millions of people have been exposed to asbestos over the years. Only now are we able to see the disastrous effects of asbestos exposure in the workplace. Generally, it takes 10 to 60 years from the time of asbestos exposure until symptoms appear or mesothelioma is diagnosed.
Many of the companies have established trust funds to pay compensation to persons injured by asbestos.
If you have mesothelioma, or other asbestos-related injury, and wish to consult an attorney about your legal rights to compensation, CLICK HERE for a free consultation.
