Refractory Cement
Refractory cement is a type of castable cement that is made for use in super-heated areas such as forges, furnaces, and fireplaces. Prior to the 1980s, refractory cement often contained at least 20% asbestos. This substance was widely used in the construction industry and for other industrial purposes due to its efficiency insulating properties and high fire resistance. These properties made it particularly ideal for use in refractory cement. In 1977, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos in most industrial processes and construction materials. However, the ban applied only to the manufacture of new supplies of construction materials, and existing stocks of asbestos-containing products were used up until the mid-1980s.
The Dangers of Asbestos
The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of asbestos because it presents a high level of risk to workers and others who come into contact with the substance. Asbestos has the ability to cause serious and often fatal diseases in people who experience repeated or long term exposure. Exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer, and asbestosis and mesothelioma cancer are caused solely by asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure is the only cause of asbestosis and of mesothelioma, a particularly lethal form of cancer for which there is no cure, and no treatments that are effective in the long term.
Mesothelioma is one of the most lethal types of cancer known. Its very high mortality rate is due partly to the difficulty of diagnosing the disease. Mesothelioma typically does not develop for two decades or more after initial asbestos exposure, and the symptoms of the disease are non-specific in the early stages. For these reasons mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose and to treat successfully.
Products such as asbestos refractory cements contain asbestos that is trapped within a layer of cement, and because of this they are dangerous only under certain circumstances. As long as the cement remains intact, the asbestos cannot become airborne or inhaled. However, any type of disturbance in the cement layer - even a small crack or hole - can may release asbestos fibers. This means that knowing whether or not refractory cements and other construction materials contain asbestos is very important, especially if you plan to remodel.
Asbestos Exposure - what are your Rights?
Over the past several years many workers who developed asbestos-related diseases have successfully pursued legal action against the companies responsible for their exposure to asbestos. Claiming financial compensation can pay for medical expenses and lost income, and compensate for the physical and emotional suffering that mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases inflict on the victim and their family.
If you or a family member has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, don't hesitate to contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer. In American the statute of limitations on such cases is two to three years from the date of diagnosis, so it is important to seek legal advice without too much delay after a diagnosis of mesothelioma has been made.
A mesothelioma lawyer can provide you with legal advice, assist you in the information-gathering process, and help you determine when and how asbestos exposure occurred, and who is responsible for that exposure. They can then advise you on how to proceed with legal action, so that the company responsible can be held accountable for their negligence.
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