Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma or asbestos lung cancer. In the 1980's, occupational jobs handling asbestos were determined to be the largest contributing factors for this disease. Workplace exposure is more rare now but the risks of exposure are still there for some occupations and not only for the people in these occupations but for their family members who might handle their clothing, or that live near facilities that have asbestos and are breathing in the tiny dust particles.
Many occupations have an increased risk for developing lung cancer. For example, asbestos insulation workers have 92 times the risk of developing lung cancer, and smelter workers have 3-8 times the risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer is also increased in people who work in the manufacturing of certain industrial gases, pharmaceuticals, soaps and detergents, paints, inorganic pigments, plastics, and synthetic rubber. The risk of developing lung cancer is related to the amount of exposure to the cancer-causing agent asbestos.
Here is a list of jobs related to the occupational risks for this disease:
Auto MechanicsBoiler makers
Bricklayers
Building Inspectors
Carpenters
Drywallers
Electricians
Floor Coverings
Furnace Workers
Glazers
Grinders
Hod carriers
Insulators
Iron workers
Laborers
Longshoremen
Maintenance workers
Merchant marines
Millwrights
Operating Engineers
Painters
Plasterers
Plumbers
Roofers
Sand blasters
Sheet metal workers
Steam fitters
Tile setters
Welders
United States Navy veterans If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma you can call 1-800-780-2686 for information on treatment centers and treatment options, along with clinical trials that are available and financial assistance that might be available.
