Tag Archives: asbestos workers

Using a "Job Exposure Matrix" to Predict Mesothelioma

Researchers in one of the world’s top mesothelioma hot spots have come up with an asbestos disease prediction matrix which may help ensure that fewer cases of mesothelioma go undiagnosed. Even though Australia has one of the world’s highest per capita rates of malignant pleural mesothelioma, data on where and when people were likely to have been exposed to asbestos is sketchy. As researchers from the University of Western Australia in Perth note in an article in The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, “In Australia…estimates of disease risk and attribution of disease causation are usually calculated from data that are not specific for local conditions.” One of the problems with not trying to quantify risk in different locations and in different … Continue reading Using a "Job Exposure Matrix" to Predict Mesothelioma »

Most Canadian Mesothelioma Cases Go Unreported

Less than half of asbestos workers diagnosed with mesothelioma file claims for workers’ compensation, even though most of those who do file receive compensation, according to a Canadian study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer that has been linked to asbestos exposure. Most of that exposure has occurred in jobs where people work with the fibrous mineral. Up to 40 years can elapse between the time when a worker is exposed to asbestos and when he or she is diagnosed with mesothelioma. Similar to the United States, workers’ compensation in Canada covers medical costs for workers who are injured on the job. This coverage can be an invaluable help to both … Continue reading Most Canadian Mesothelioma Cases Go Unreported »

OSHA Protects Shipyard Workers from Asbestos and Mesothelioma

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is launching an effort to keep more shipbreaking workers safe from the dangers of asbestos and other potential job hazards. Shipbreakers, workers involved in dismantling decommissioned ships, are at high risk formesothelioma and other diseases because of exposure to cancer-causing asbestos fibers.  Asbestos was used for many years as an insulator in all kinds of seagoing vessels. Shipbreaking, also called ship scrapping or ship disposal, includes breaking down the ship’s structure, as well as removing and disposing of the equipment on board. OSHA has announced a new national emphasis on shipbreaking safety that will include more frequent federal inspections of shipyards where dismantling is taking place.  The initiative also includes an extensive online document detailing … Continue reading OSHA Protects Shipyard Workers from Asbestos and Mesothelioma »

Asbestos Workers Face Increased Risk of Cancer Death

Workers who have been exposed to asbestos on the job are more likely to die from lung cancers,mesothelioma, and asbestosis, as well as from stomach cancer and stroke, according to one of the longest-running studies of British asbestos workers, published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. On the positive side, more stringent asbestos regulations appear to be reducing the risk of asbestos-related diseases among younger workers. Since the early part of the 20th century, asbestos-related diseases have been the leading cause of job-related deaths in Great Britain, and the number of deaths has been on the rise. Although Britain has enacted stricter laws governing the use of industrial asbestos, exposed workers will likely continue to develop deadly cancers in the years … Continue reading Asbestos Workers Face Increased Risk of Cancer Death »