T-Bar Ceiling Tiles - Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

T-bar ceiling systems, often known as "suspended ceilings" and "drop ceilings" are ceiling systems that consist of a metal grid which holds lightweight tiles. If the T-bar ceiling system was installed earlier than 1980, there is a good chance that the T-bar ceiling tiles contain at least 1 percent asbestos fibers. T-bar ceiling tiles are an especially dangerous since they are often friable (they can be crumbled by hand pressure alone), and may be lifted and removed easily, scattering asbestos-containing dust into the rooms over which they are hung. Exposure to asbestos can cause the development of serious illnesses such as mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer.

If you are considering removing or replacing tiles in a T-bar ceiling system that was originally hung before 1980, it is important to know that original tiles - including tiles that may be stored on premises for replacing damaged ceiling tiles - probably contain asbestos. The only way to know for sure whether or not they contain asbestos is to have a sample tested by a professional.

If you worked installing drop ceilings anytime from the 1950s to the 1980s, you may have been exposed to high concentrations of asbestos dust in your work, particularly if you cut T-bar ceiling tiles to fit spaces in the grid layout. In addition, if you worked in remodeling or renovation through the early 1990s, and any of your jobs included replacing 1950s and 1960s era drop ceilings, or any drop ceilings installed before 1980, you may have been exposed to asbestos. Finally, if you wore your work clothing home, your family and friends may also have been exposed to asbestos through secondhand exposure.

Inhaled and ingested asbestos fibers can become lodged in organs and body cavities, causing inflammation and infection, and overtime, the development of asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that causes the thickening of the epithelial sacs around the lungs, or in rarer cases around the heart or the organs in the abdomen. This fine lining - usually one layer thick - is meant to lubricate and protect the organs that it covers, making sure that it moves freely when breathing or beating. Mesothelioma causes the epithelial cells to reproduce rapidly, thickening the tissue. Nearly all cases of mesothelioma can be traced to exposure to asbestos, either in the environment or in the workplace.

Because asbestos was so widely used in the construction industry, construction workers, especially those who worked in construction before 1980, were likely exposed to the toxic mineral. Anyone who worked with insulation, acoustic ceiling tiles, acoustic tiles, spray on insulation and decorative plaster may have been exposed regularly.

Companies like Owens-Corning, Farber and other manufacturers of fiberglass insulating tiles and ceiling tiles often knew of the hazards of asbestos exposure but did not inform workers. Because of this, those who have developed asbestos-related diseases have filed lawsuits against these corporations.

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