Duplex Pipe Covering - Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

Asbestos-containing materials were used throughout the 20th century in various products and prominently in insulating pipes in heating and air conditioning applications. One of the more popular types of insulation was Duplex pipe covering. Duplex pipe covering containing asbestos is is now banned in the United States because of the serious health risks associated with exposure to asbestos. Duplex pipe covering is made of rolled asbestos paper, honey-combed to increase the air space between the inside and outside wrappers. It was created to wrap around heating and hot water pipes, and insulate them from the surrounding wood. Duplex pipe covering was used in homes and office buildings as late as the late 1970s.

Insulation workers (often called asbestos workers because nearly all insulation contained asbestos), construction workers and pipe fitters are several occupational groups likely exposed to asbestos frequently on the job. Their work typically included close and constant contact with asbestos-containing substances, including many activities that caused asbestos dust and fibers to become airborne. Inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers can lead to mesothelioma, a serious cancer that affects the tissues lining the lungs and other organs.

Nearly 40 million homes in the United States contain asbestos in insulation, ceiling tiles, flooring tiles, carpet pads and wallboards. In addition to building materials, asbestos was often added to pastes, glues, adhesives, paper wraps and fillers to make them fire and heat resistant. Workers who handled those products were exposed to levels of asbestos dust many times normal exposure.

Workers who installed asbestos materials were not the only ones exposed to high levels of asbestos. Employees of the companies that produced those materials were exposed the mineral as well, often without any warning that they were handling and working with a hazardous substance. While the companies who supplied asbestos and manufactured asbestos products were often aware of the dangers of working with the deadly dust, the hazards were typically unknown by those handling the mineral directly. Because of this, millions of American workers were exposed to asbestos dust every day.

Many of those who worked with asbestos products like duplex pipe covering may have inhaled or ingested asbestos-containing products which can lead to the development of an asbestos-related illness. Because it can take up to forty years for symptoms of mesothelioma to appear and a diagnosis to occur, treatment can be difficult.

If you worked with asbestos in the building or insulation industries, or were exposed to asbestos in any other industry or occupation, you should speak with a doctor immediately at the sign of any unusual symptoms. If you would like additional information about symptoms of mesothelioma, treatment and legal options, please fill out the complimentary packet request form at the top, right of this page.

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