Electrical Engineers

Health problems associated with asbestos exposure are well documented with ship builders, miners and construction workers. We are only beginning to realize the many other occupations that have been affected by asbestos exposure. Electrical engineers fit into this unlikely category. While most people's vision of an electrical engineer involve a desk job and paperwork, many electrical engineers spend a good percentage of their work life in the field. They visit work sites in their job of designing and implementing new plans. Many electrical engineers spend a great deal of their time outside of the office.

Electrical engineers develop the plans for wiring homes and commercial buildings. In addition to electricity, they may develop the plans for communications systems as well. Electrical engineers typically specialize within their field, with some working in residential areas, while others work in the industrial setting. Because asbestos has the ability to insulate against heat, flame and electrical currents at one time it was widely used in various electrical components. Asbestos insulation surrounded the wiring inside electrical cables, and electrical boxes were lined with asbestos.

Depending on the amount of hands on field work that an electrical engineer is involved with, his chances of asbestos exposure can be slim to great. The more time spend out of the office, and around electrical wiring, the greater the chance of exposure to asbestos. Additionally, if a good deal of time was spent installing or removing electrical wiring from older homes, the exposure risk increases. Homes build prior to the late 1970s are notorious for containing asbestos products in the insulation, shingles, floor and ceiling tiles and nearly any other building product that you can think of.

Electrical engineers that worked in the industry prior to 1978, when the use of asbestos was halted, were at risk of exposure to asbestos every time that they visited a job site. Today, electrical engineers are still at risk of exposure to asbestos because of remodeling efforts. As popular as asbestos was as a material for insulating electrical material, it was even more popular in building suppliers. Both homes and commercial buildings that were constructed before the ban on asbestos containing products in 1978 are filled with asbestos. Common asbestos containing components are vinyl floor covers, floor and ceiling tiles, shingles and roofing paper. The EPA, in response to the asbestos crisis in the late 1970s and early 1980s, recommended that as long as the asbestos containing materials were in good condition, they remain in place. Asbestos exposure is most likely to occur when the product is damaged, and in the case of building materials, this is often when they are removed. To prevent the risk of unnecessary exposure, the EPA recommends that home owners keep an eye on asbestos containing material and remove it as it ages.

While this policy makes sense, it leaves the electrical engineer working in the area at risk of asbestos exposure. When electrical engineers come into a home or commercial building they often access the attic and basement or crawlspace. Even if they are not providing the installation, the exposure risk is a concern in older buildings. The problem is compounded that many people do not know if their homes contain asbestos or not, and are unable to pass this information along to the electrical engineer. While the risk to an electrical engineer is not as great as a construction worker responsible for installing the electrical components, there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. While electrical engineers that are now retired have reason to be concerned about the odds that they have been exposed to asbestos, even those working today should be concerned about their health.

Asbestos Exposure

The most concerning health problems associated with asbestos exposure are the risks of asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a chronic disease of the lungs which deprive the body of oxygen. Doctors can ease the shortness of breath that is a hallmark of asbestosis by prescribing oxygen for the patient, but there is no cure for the disease. A chronic condition, asbestosis eventually results in respiratory failure, which leads to death.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive type of cancer. The cancer invades the meothelium. The mesothelium is the paper thin coating that protects and surrounds the various organs of the body. Although mesothelioma can occur around the heart or stomach, it is most common in the pleural mesothelium, which surrounds the lungs. Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose, and often a diagnosis is not made until the disease has spread to other body parts. The prognosis for someone with mesothelioma is very poor, one of the worst of any type of cancer, with most patients not surviving 18 months after receiving a diagnosis. If the cancer has spread to other body parts, the prognosis is even more grim.

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