(PRWEB) January 08, 2012
A recent report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about its own apparent mishandling of asbestos in demolition projects underscores the pervasive threat this cancer-causing material poses to Americans health.
If the national government department in charge with managing the public’s safety from environmental hazards fails to protect themselves and their contractors from asbestos exposure, then it becomes a serious concern for everyone about the dangers faced by employees of less-conscientious organizations.
This bad news was recently released in a December 14, 2012 memo from the EPAs inspector general which emphasized concerns about the use of unapproved demolition methods at EPA sites where asbestos was present.
Because inhaling asbestos fibers is known to cause lethal cancers such as mesothelioma, demolition crews are required by law to follow strict protocols to prevent exposure to the deadly material.
The EPA report indicated that unapproved asbestos-handling methods were in use at several sites, including one in Washington state and another in Kentucky. The inspector general also cited videos and photos that showed unprotected government workers and contractors present during experiments with unapproved alternative asbestos control methods in Arkansas and Texas.
Current evidence demonstrates that many people developed mesothelioma cancer or other asbestos-related diseases after being exposed at work to toxic asbestos decades ago. And now it is very alarming to discover that workers continue to face exposure to this cancer-causing material even at job sites that are under the control of the government’s environmental watchdog.
Asbestos, which was once extensively used in a wide variety of applications, is the only known cause of mesothelioma. The disease is a rare but very aggressive form of cancer that usually affects the lining of the lungs. There is no known cure. Many victims do not develop mesothelioma until several decades after their exposure.
Because asbestos products remain in many older structures, the EPA has developed specific procedures for safer handling of asbestos during demolitions and renovations. The standards require specialists to remove asbestos-containing materials while minimizing the amount of asbestos dust produced.
Because the standards apparently were not followed at several EPA sites, according to the inspector general, the agency should notify workers and the public in the surrounding areas of the possibility that they were exposed to asbestos.
The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America encouraged anyone who has developed an asbestos-related disease to seek qualified medical treatment. People diagnosed with mesothelioma who were exposed to asbestos during work related assignments should also consider how important it is to seek the advice of an experienced asbestos exposure attorney.