Plumbers Still at High Risk of Mesothelioma According to Study
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Plumbers Still at High Risk of Mesothelioma According to Study

ByAlex Strauss

Plumbers are among the industrial workers most at risk for deadly mesothelioma cancer.  That’s the finding of an insurance industry study recently done in the UK. The report, prepared for Claims National, found that current or former plumbers and pipe fitters, as well as electricians, builders and auto mechanics, have a much higher incidence of the asbestos-related cancer than people working in other industries.  It’s a finding supported by CDC researchers in the U.S. who found the number of mesothelioma deaths among plumbers and pipe fitters ‘proportionately significant’ and predict the numbers could keep rising for another 40 years. Asbestos is an insulating material that was widely used in industry around the world until the 1980’s.  It was particularly prized in plumbing…

Buildings, Industries and Soil Pose Mesothelioma Risk in New Jersey
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Buildings, Industries and Soil Pose Mesothelioma Risk in New Jersey

ByAlex Strauss

Removal of mesothelioma-causing asbestos is taking much longer than expected at an historic New Jersey library building where employees and patrons may have come in contact with the substance for years. Nearly a month after it was scheduled to reopen, the East Orange Public Library remains closed.  The 1914-vintage building was closed after a state health department inspection found exposed asbestos throughout the building, which could put employees and patrons at risk for deadly mesothelioma cancer.  The library was ordered to hire a professional abatement contractor to safety remove the dangerous material, but months after the job was started, there is no indication when the building will reopen. As a state with many old and historic neighborhoods, New Jersey has many…

Mesothelioma is Increased Risk for Sheet Metal Workers
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Mesothelioma is Increased Risk for Sheet Metal Workers

ByAlex Strauss

According to a new study from the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust and Duke University, sheet metal workers are at increased risk for asbestos-related diseases. Sheet metal workers make, install, and maintain a variety of products and equipment that employ sheet metal, including: heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, roofs, siding, skylights and rain gutters.  Sheet metal workers also work on ships, cars, and planes. Between 1986 and 2004, researchers followed 17,345 individuals with 20 or more years of experience in the sheet metal trade.  Information that was collected included smoking history, X-ray results and causes of death.  This data was than analyzed using statistical modeling.  The researchers found a “statistically significant excess mortality” for pleural cancers,mesothelioma, and asbestosis.  Increased…