Industrial Engineers

There is a long history of many professions suffering from asbestos exposure. Ship builders, construction workers and mill workers all may develop health problems related to asbestos exposure. There are, however, many other occupations effected by asbestos exposure. Industrial engineers are one of these professions. While an industrial engineer may spend a good deal of his time at a desk, the time spent in the field is riddled with the risk of asbestos exposure. An industrial engineer works with companies to improve their efficiency. They visit job sites and observe the work that goes on before implementing changes. Particularly for an industrial engineer that specializes in the manufacturing industry, exposure risks are all around.

Asbestos abatement is one of the areas that industrial engineers typically work in. They are responsible for designing and implementing plans to remediate asbestos problems in the work area. Because asbestos exposure is most likely to occur when the asbestos is disturbed, the time that an industrial engineer spends in the field is often the most hazardous. Asbestos abatement is a growing concern for many companies in the manufacturing or industrial setting. Because of the widespread use of asbestos in manufacturing plants in the past, the removal can present a major expense.

Asbestos was widely used in manufacturing plants because it had many uses. It was a common component in building materials, and, because it was fire proof, heat proof and nearly indestructible, it was widely used in many types of insulation. The use of asbestos was so widespread in both commercial and residential use that at its peek, asbestos was contained in over 3,000 products. Many of these items were located in manufacturing plants. Insulation for the building and machinery, as well as lining for equipment, tiles and heating and cooling systems all contained asbestos. Asbestos was added to many of the paints and finishing compounds because it left the items it covered rust proof and with a long lasting, durable coating.

When the use of asbestos was stopped in 1978, the decision was made that existing asbestos containing material could remain in place. In fact, it was not even mandated that the asbestos containing building materials that were still on shelves in stores be removed. For this reason, it is possible that even buildings built after 1978 can contain asbestos. Because asbestos only causes health problems when it is disturbed, its presence in new buildings was not considered a cause for concern. As the buildings age, the materials that contain asbestos must be removed and replaced with a safer material.

The aging process means that many of the buildings and manufacturing plants that were built when asbestos was in widespread use are now ready to be remodeled. An industrial engineer is often involved in the remodeling process of manufacturing plants because it is important to develop the most efficient plan possible to remodel the plant. Minimizing down time and cost helps the company to save money, and can help offset the rather substantial cost of professional asbestos remediation.

To effectively develop a plan for a company seeking to remodel and remove asbestos, it is important for the industrial engineer to examine the plant, determine what areas contain asbestos, and develop a prioritized list of duties. Once the project starts, the industrial engineer will visit the site frequently for updates and to make sure everything is going according to plan and running on schedule. These frequent visits during the demolition stage are a prime time for asbestos exposure to occur. Industrial engineers are in the unique position of being one of the professions that have as great of risk of suffering from asbestos exposure now as they did during the years when asbestos was in widespread use.

Asbestos Exposure

There are two pressing health concerns associated with asbestos exposure. These are asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a chronic and progressive lung condition. When someone develops asbestosis their body is unable to move oxygen into the blood properly, which deprives the body of oxygen. Doctors treat the shortness of breath that accompanies asbestosis by prescribing oxygen, but there is no cure. Asbestosis eventually leads to respiratory failure, resulting in death.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer. Mesothelioma invades the mesothelium, which is a paper thin coating that protects and surrounds the various organs of the body. Mesothelioma occurs around the heart or stomach, but is most common in the pleural mesothelioma, which surrounds the lungs. Mesothelioma is a difficult disease to diagnose, and many times a diagnosis is not made until the disease has spread throughout the body. Mesothelioma patients have a very poor prognosis, one of the worst of any type of cancer. Most patients that are diagnosed with mesothelioma will not be alive 18 months after their diagnosis.

Mesothelioma News