Many occupations still put people at risk of asbestos exposure. Most people believe that asbestos is no longer a danger in the everyday environment, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, asbestos is still approved for use in many different applications and uses.

Asbestos is used in many different ways in the aeronautics industry because of its heat resistance, light weight and high tensile strength. That places those who work in the aeronautics industry at risk of exposure to asbestos, particularly those who work with and around aeronautical equipment, and in and around engines. The aeronautical industry is making efforts to find suitable replacements for asbestos in aeronautical and aircraft parts, but currently, many parts of aircraft that are subjected to high temperatures are still made with asbestos.

Among the aircraft parts that are made with asbestos are brakes and brake linings, seating gaskets, fire barriers and insulation.

Asbestos Exposure

Aeronautical engineers may be exposed to asbestos in the course of their work. They design, develop and test aircraft, and many are involved in the building of a single aircraft. In the course of their working lives, aeronautical engineers may cut and shape asbestos containing sheets, be responsible for testing various materials for heat resistance and durability and otherwise come in contact with asbestos and asbestos dust. It is vital that aeronautical engineers always follow safety precautions when handling materials that may contain even small amounts of asbestos.

Aeronautical engineers often work in and around factories where the parts for aircraft are being manufactured, and may work directly with the materials from which those parts are crafted. When materials such as rubber, plastic and other synthetics that contain asbestos are cut and shaped, there is a high likelihood of asbestos dust being released into the air. Asbestos coatings may be sprayed on metal or fiberglass parts, or mixed into the fiberglass to increase heat resistance and insulating properties, releasing asbestos-containing mist into the air where it can be breathed in.

Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of developing many different lung diseases and cancers, including lung cancer, colon cancer, esophageal cancer and cancer of the liver. It is the only known cause of mesothelioma, a rare cancer that affects the tissues lining the lungs, heart cavity and abdominal cavity, and causes lung scarring that is progressive and invariably fatal.

Any aeronautical engineer who may have been exposed to asbestos in the course of his or her work should be aware of the symptoms of mesothelioma and other conditions that are associated with exposure to asbestos. They should also be aware of the appropriate and necessary safety precautions to use when working with and around asbestos containing materials, and should have been provided with warning and training in how to avoid asbestos contamination by taking appropriate safety precautions.

Aeronautical Asbestos Uses

Asbestos is uniquely suited for many aeronautical or aerospace purposes. The lightweight, fibrous mineral is one of the best insulation materials known, and has the added benefit of being fire resistant and fire retardant. Because of those properties, it is ideal for use around engines and fuel tanks, electrical outlets and lighting sockets - all places where a spark could ignite a conflagration.

In addition, because of its heat resistance, asbestos was often used in friction-bearing machinery parts like brake linings and packing around ball-bearings, as well as gaskets to close seals more tightly. Asbestos can be particularly dangerous when it is used in a friction-bearing part because the constant friction and wear releases microscopic asbestos dust into the air where it is easily inhaled by anyone not wearing proper protective equipment.

Anyone who works in or around aeronautical plants, including design engineers, is at some risk of being exposed to asbestos and the hazards it presents. If you have worked as an aeronautical engineer for the aeronautical or aerospace industries, there is a chance that you may have been exposed to asbestos while working with and around equipment that is typically used to maintain, manufacture or retrofit airplane and spacecraft engines. There is a significant risk of exposure to asbestos when working on modernizing older planes and retrofitting them with newer equipment.

What Aeronautical Engineers Should Know About Asbestos

Asbestos becomes a hazard when tiny fibers, several thousand times thinner than a single human hair, break off from the material that contains asbestos and become airborne. There is a high likelihood of this happening when the asbestos-containing material is used for a friction-bearing part like ball bearing packing or brake linings, because the constant grinding wears away at the material and creates dust that contains asbestos.

Asbestos has been associated with a number of fatal diseases, among them lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestos is especially insidious because those who are exposed to it don't feel sick right away. In fact, there are no visible effects to inhaling asbestos for many years. The first symptoms of asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma or other cancers may not appear for decades after the initial exposure to asbestos. By that time, the diseases have often reached the later stages when very few treatment options exist. There is no cure for mesothelioma or asbestosis, only treatments that may prolong life and improve the quality of life once a diagnosis has been made.

Mesothelioma is one of the most serious results of asbestos exposure. It is a rare cancer that is only found in those who have been exposed to asbestos, and is caused by the presence of asbestos fibers in the tissues that form a lining around the lungs. Mesothelioma is an aggressive, fast-moving cancer, and is often fatal within a year of diagnosis. New treatment options are creating some hope for those diagnosed with mesothelioma, but those options are expensive, and often require that the patient live close to the few areas where they are being developed.