Asbestos in Oklahoma
ranking in U.S. for mesothelioma & asbestosis deaths
Oklahoma is an agricultural state, but at its heart it is oil and gas. The state is the fifth-largest producer of oil in the United States and No. 3 in natural gas production. But the oil and gas business presents issues for Oklahoma. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added several Oklahoma locations to the nation's Superfund National Priorities List because of asbestos contamination. These include the Hudson Refinery and the Oklahoma Refining Company. In addition, mining company W.R. Grace and Company made an impact by shipping asbestos into Oklahoma. At least 277 Oklahomans died from mesothelioma or asbestosis between 1999 and 2008. This figure does not included mesothelioma deaths that occurred before 1999 because the government did not start tracking it as a cause of death until that year. Asbestos-related lung cancer deaths are also not included in the death count.
Treatment Centers in this State
Mesothelioma and Asbestosis Deaths, 1999-2008
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237mesothelioma deaths in Oklahoma
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40asbestosis deaths in Oklahoma
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277total mesothelioma and asbestosis deaths
Occupations and Environmental Areas at Risk
Manufacturing provides an estimated 151,000 jobs in Oklahoma, and the state is the top maker of tires in North America. The state is also heavily involved in the production of oil and gas equipment. Overall, the manufacturing industry has a history of exposing workers to asbestos through using a variety of asbestos-containing materials. This is especially true for oil companies in the area.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, is home to the largest airline maintenance base in the world. While this is great for generating jobs, many of these employees may have been exposed to asbestos-containing brakes, insulation, gaskets and valves before asbestos regulations were implemented. Today's airline maintenance workers do not face the same hazardous levels of asbestos exposure, but older planes still may be contaminated with parts that contain large quantities of asbestos.
Another potential risk factor for asbestos exposure among Oklahoma residents occurred between 1948 and 1993. During this time, W.R. Grace and Company shipped asbestos-containing vermiculite to more than 25 locations across the country, including three Oklahoma cities. These included Oklahoma City, Duke and Southard. Anyone employed to process these shipments likely experienced asbestos exposure.
Known Jobsites for Asbestos Exposure
Sooner Contamination
In June 2004, the Oklahoma Daily News reported asbestos residue on the University of Oklahoma campus in two different buildings - Kaufman Hall and Gittinger Hall. Although the asbestos was promptly removed and not considered a threat to students, exposure may have occurred unknowingly.
Olympic Lawsuit
In a lawsuit involving Terry McCann, a gold medal-winning wrestler at the 1960 Olympics, thrust mesothelioma to center stage after McCann was diagnosed with the cancer in 2005. McCann was employed in the late 1950s by a construction company at an oil refinery in Oklahoma. He was exposed to asbestos during the installation of a boiler manufactured by Foster Wheeler. After his mesothelioma diagnosis, McCann filed a personal injury lawsuit against Foster Wheeler and other companies. He died one year later, in 2006.
EPA Superfund Sites Containing Asbestos in Oklahoma
A superfund site is an uncontrolled or abandoned area where hazardous waste is located. The Hudson Refinery site in Cushing, Oklahoma, is an abandoned crude oil refinery that was active from 1922 to 1982. The refinery made its way onto the EPA's Superfund list because of concerns of friable asbestos and a number of other hazards. Major removal occurred in 2002 and 2003, but asbestos was removed from the site as recently as 2011.
In Cyril, Oklahoma, the site of the Oklahoma Refining Company was placed on the Superfund list for a number of hazards, including asbestos exposure. In September 2003, the EPA initiated a time-critical removal for asbestos-containing materials in above ground piping and vessels. Process towers and buildings were also removed because of exposure hazards.
Oklahoma now enforces strict guidelines for handling and removing asbestos-contaminated products. Lawmakers adopted asbestos regulations from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) in 1990. The NESHAP regulations require renovation and demolition notices to be submitted to Oklahoma's Air Quality Division when asbestos dust is a concern.
Asbestos exposure risks in Oklahoma were reduced during the past two decades, thanks to stronger asbestos regulations. While asbestos remains in older facilities throughout the state in the form of insulation, flooring and ceiling tiles and electric wiring, proper removal of asbestos-containing materials has become the standard among contractors and cases of asbestos-related disease should decline because of it.
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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