Freight and Material Handlers

There were many different professions that had a higher than normal risk for asbestos exposure. Asbestos become incredibly popular for use in a variety of products in the mid to late 1800s as the Age of Industry got rolling and many manufacturing facilities were under construction. Up until the late 1970s and early 1980s the risks of exposure to asbestos particles wasn't really known, at least not publicly. Once it became clear that asbestos could do a lot of harm to the human body, the use of asbestos dropped off very sharply and it was banned in America and a large number of other countries. Before that, though, asbestos and the products that contained it had to be shipped, which put those working in the shipping industry at risk.

Asbestos Exposure

It is estimated that there were over 3,000 asbestos made products. Asbestos containing materials (ACMs) were almost never manufactured where their final, intended use was located. Therefore, they had to be shipped from their point of origin to where they were needed. The men who worked in the shipping industry were often exposed to asbestos. In a lot of cases, these workers would also carry the fibers home with them in their clothes and expose their families.

The men who loaded and unloaded these ACMs worked in very dusty environments. Asbestos is a friable mineral, which means that particles easily fall off of the main mass. This dust would contain asbestos fibers, which are very dangerous to humans. It was compounded for material handlers because they would work in small, confined areas that weren't well ventilated. The dust would build up quickly and be disturbed as the products were moved around. There really weren't any safety measures used because no on really knew that they were needed.

Shipping and Handling Asbestos

Since it is resistant to flame and heat, asbestos was most often used as an insulator. You can still find it in a lot of older buildings and older homes. Some of the industries that are known to have had high asbestos exposure risks include oil refineries, chemical plants, paper mills and construction. It was also used extensively in ship building, which was the way many of the over 3,000 products mentioned above were initially shipped. The asbestos dust that would already be built up in the ship holds would add to the dust being brought in on the products being carried. Even the trucks and trains used to carry the items to their final destination would carry the dust.

Not only is asbestos very resistant to heat and flames, it also increases considerably to the tensile strength of anything it's added to without adding to the weight. It was added to many kinds of tiles, both for the ceiling and the floor. It was mixed with cement for blocks and the mortar used to join them. Wallboard and some drywall joining compounds contained the fibers, as did the products used to add texture to the walls. Roofing shingles and tar, some cement siding and stucco and the spray used to insulate many structural components had asbestos added during their manufacture. This doesn't even include the amount of raw asbestos that had to be transported to the manufacturing facilities where it was to be used. All of these items had to be transported from one place to another and freight and material handlers would come into contact with every one of them.

What Material and Freight Handlers Should Know

The number of medical cases that are directly related to asbestos have been increasing over the last few decades. The complications that arise from asbestos exposure can take years to manifest. The experts believe that the number of cases will continue to go up until they peak in about the year 2015. At that point, the numbers should start to go down fairly quickly.

The most common ailment that those who have been exposed to asbestos experience what is called asbestosis. Once the asbestos fibers enter the lungs, they have no where else to go. Over the years, they rub against the tissues inside the lungs and do a lot of damage. Once the scarring has gotten so bad, the victim starts to have trouble catching their breath. There are many people who die from this condition, but it is treatable if it's caught early enough. The victims of asbestosis, though, have a higher risk of contracting lung cancer and the other asbestos related disease known as mesothelioma.

The mesothelium is a lining that can be found inside the chest and stomach. It covers the lungs, heart and most of the other vital organs in the chest and stomach. It even covers the interior of the abdomen. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is incredibly deadly. Once tumors have formed in the mesothelium, the cancer will quickly spread to the rest of the body. The average lifespan of an individual who is diagnosed with mesothelioma is about eighteen months.

As mentioned above, asbestosis is treatable, but it has to be caught before the damage becomes so bad that the victim can't breath. There is no cure, though. So, if you or someone you know worked as a freight and material handler between, well, say the early 1900s and the late 1970s, they really need to get checked out by a doctor immediately. Waiting can only make things worse.

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