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Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Occupational Mesothelioma
Asbestos is a wonder mineral that has high strength and heat resistance. Thus, it was widely used for fire proofing buildings and ships. To satisfy these requirements, various companies started mining asbestos in large quantities. The huge profits reaped by these industrial owners made them overlook the potential hazards to the health of employees. In the early 1900s itself, medical researchers started realizing that asbestos is harmful to health. A variety of lung diseases, including Mesothelioma and lung cancer, are attributed to exposure to asbestos filers.
The increased use of asbestos led to a high incidence of fibrosis, asbestosis and other diseases, People who have been working in asbestos industries for 20 years or more were at a higher risk than others of contracting the asbestos related illnesses. However, even people who have inhaled a very small quantity for a very small duration may succumb to this disease, the rich industrialists turned a blind eye to this major issue. Many times, the clothes of these workers also carried asbestos fibers and they passed on the fibers and the diseases to their families and neighbors.
Precautions to be taken:
The best protective measures to be undertaken by the workers of the asbestos industries are to wear clothing that protects them from these fibers. Also, it should be endeavored to reduce the dust and pollution in these industries. The workers should wash themselves and change their clothes before leaving home.
Mesothelioma, caused by exposure to asbestos fibers, is a terrible condition in which the mesothelium cells multiply rapidly and affect the nearby organs too. Mesothelioma may be cancerous or non-cancerous. When it is cancerous, it is known as a malignant form of mesothelioma and when it is non-cancerous, it is in benign form. The pain and suffering of the affected patients is too terrible to describe. Chemotherapy, surgery and constant monitoring are essential for these patients throughout their life. The patients are given painkillers to help them bear the terrible pain.
The link between asbestos fibers and illness was found out only in the 1930s. However, it was only in the 1940s, mesothelioma was linked to exposure to asbestos fibers • The main reason why the harmful effects of asbestos was not discovered was because of the long gap between the exposure and the onset of the disease. Sometimes, this may even be 35 to 40 years. Many of the workers shift umpteen jobs by this time and they are unable to link their condition to asbestos exposure.
The industrialists, fearing the safety precautions and stoppage of production, tried to stop further research in these areas. Also, they cover up research results and misrepresent and argue findings. However, now days, many countries have woken up to the harmful effects of asbestos and have banned it for various uses. Some countries like India and china have not taken any significant action to control asbestos exposure and protect the employees.
To protect innocent people from the clutches of mesothelioma is the responsibility of the governments of various countries. They should create awareness among the general public about the dangers of asbestos and check whether all industries are complying with the safety precautions.
posted by Andrew at
4:08 AM
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