Secondhand Asbestos Exposure Prevalent Among Steelworkers’ Families
Secondhand asbestos exposure can occur when an individual encounters asbestos fibers through the clothing or equipment of someone who has been working with asbestos-containing materials. This is also known as Bystander Exposure. Asbestos could be found throughout steel mills which included blast furnaces, coke ovens, basic oxygen furnaces, strip mills, and the open-hearth department. Heat…
Read MoreAsbestos Dangers & Employer Responsibilities in Pittsburgh
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was widely used in construction and manufacturing industries for its fire-resistant and insulating properties. However, it has since been discovered that exposure to asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Pittsburgh, like many other cities in the United States, has a history…
Read MoreAsbestos Cement Exposure: Roofing, Siding, and Pipes
Asbestos use dates back thousands of years, but it wasn’t until the Industrial Age and the mid- 20th century that asbestos was popularized as a building material. One of these common building materials was asbestos cement, or asbestos cement sheet (AC sheet) in which asbestos fibers were used to reinforce cement sheets. Asbestos cement can be…
Read MoreUncommon Asbestos Applications in the Past
Throughout most of the 20th century, asbestos was a popular building material that became standard in manufacturing, industrial industry, and in many households. Today, when we think of asbestos, we might imagine insulation, siding, roofing, and vinyl floor tiles as common asbestos applications. However, because of its appearance, sound proofing, and heat resistant capabilities, asbestos was…
Read MorePittsburgh Asbestos History
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has a long history of industrialization and manufacturing, which has put many individuals in the area at risk of asbestos exposure. Asbestos was widely used in building materials and other products until the 1980s because of its durability, insulation properties, and fire resistance. However, asbestos fibers can be inhaled or ingested and can…
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