Mesothelioma Risk High For Sheet Metal Workers
A 24-year study of more than 17,000 sheet metal workers shows that even indirect exposure to asbestos can be deadly. The study found that these workers are much more likely to die of mesothelioma or asbestosis than the general public – even though their industry does not use asbestos. Mesothelioma is an extremely rare cancer in the U.S., with about 2,500 new cases each year. But unlike other cancers, the cause of mesothelioma is well-known. People who have worked or even lived around asbestos are at much higher risk for mesothelioma. While sheet metal work itself doesn’t directly involve the use of asbestos, the profession is risky because workers typically spend their professional lives in the vicinity of asbestos-containing construction…