Engineers - Mesothelioma Risks

Engineers design and maintain a variety of machines, products, systems and structures while considering both cost and safety measures. By applying their mathematical and technical knowledge to problems, engineers create solutions that meet the needs of the public.

The engineering field is a broad occupation that entails many working environments. Some common engineering fields include:

• Civil
• HVAC
• Nuclear
• Petroleum
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Industrial
• Locomotive
• Environmental
• Aeronautical

In power plants, electrical and mechanical engineers ensure that standard operating procedures are performed correctly. Many of the seemingly simple processes conducted in plants involve a large amount of meticulous work, and engineers must ensure that all applicable valves, breakers and switches are prepped for power generation.

Engineers face a number of occupational hazards. Before asbestos regulations were implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency in the 1970s, engineers were considered to have a higher than average risk of being exposed to asbestos. Asbestos was used in many materials due to its ability to insulate and fireproof products.

Asbestos Risks for Engineers

Due to the use of computers, some of today’s engineers spend a lot of their time behind a desk rather than at the site of a project. Former engineers took a more hands-on approach to their work. In light of the extensive use of asbestos-containing materials during this era, engineers prior to the 1980s were considered to be more likely to experience exposure.

Electrical and HVAC engineers may have an increased asbestos exposure risk, as the insulation that the engineers worked with has been responsible for many asbestos-related diseases. Less direct exposure occurrences may happen when an engineer works on a site where asbestos-containing materials have been disturbed.

Exposure to asbestos can cause a variety of illnesses. Mesothelioma, a cancer almost exclusively caused by the mineral, can arise anywhere between 20 and 50 years after a person inhales asbestos fibers (see Mesothelioma Latency Period). Other health conditions that can develop from asbestos exposure include lung cancer and asbestosis.

A 1987 survey on the development of pleural mesothelioma in high risk groups such as nuclear engineers found workspaces contained airborne asbestos fibers. In nuclear plants, sodium-cooled reactors were insulated with asbestos products. The maintenance and repair work performed by engineers on these reactors may have exposed them to asbestos. A 2008 study showed that workers with high levels of both radiation and asbestos exposure had mesothelioma mortality rates nearly twice as high as those not exposed to radiation.

Resources for Engineers

Because mesothelioma can develop as many as 50 years after exposure occurs, it is important for former engineers who may have been exposed to receive annual medical checkups. There are very few mesothelioma specialists due to the rarity of the condition, but if you or a loved one has been diagnosed, our Doctor Match Program can connect you with an expert in your area. Financial assistance options may also be available for those seeking treatment.

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