Asbestos in Wire Insulation
Concerned that asbestos wire insulation could cause asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma? Learn more below.
What are asbestos wires?
Before knowledge of its dangerous health hazards were widely known outside of the asbestos industry, asbestos was the obvious choice for countless building materials and consumer products in the United States. With its superior insulation qualities, low cost, and widespread availability, asbestos found its way into everything from crock pots to car hood liners until it was phased out of use starting in the 1970s. Although the asbestos industry was well aware of the dangers of asbestos exposure, which include asbestos cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis, a definitive link was not proven until the 1970s. Bu then it was too late for the hundreds of thousands of mesothelioma victims already exposed to asbestos. (Asbestos has never been banned in the United States. Learn more about the movement to Ban Asbestos here [link to: ]http://www.mesorc.com/banasbestosnow/].)
While the sheer number of asbestos products can seem overwhelming, a little knowledge of where asbestos was used can go a long way to preventing asbestos exposure.
Asbestos covered wire was used primarily in specialty applications that generated high heat and carried a high risk of fire. The bad news: most naval vessels and aircraft had, and continue to have asbestos wiring. Asbestos wires were also used on motion picture projectors, arc lamps, spotlights, and some heating element leads. If you worked as an electrician on naval vessels or aircraft or with film or lighting equipment prior to the 1980s, you could be at risk for mesothelioma cancer and other major asbestos related illnesses.
The good news: you probably will not come across any asbestos wires in your home, as they were rarely used in the domestic market.
Inhaled asbestos fibers can become lodged in the lungs over time, potentially causing scarring, inflammation, and asbestos-related diseases. Scarring of the lungs, referred to as asbestosis, can cause respiratory difficulties and even heart failure.
Health issues related to asbestos exposure can appear many years after the exposure occurred, so victims may not even be aware that they have been exposed to asbestos until it’s too late.
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Mesothelioma lawyers may be able to help you
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease from workplace or home exposure to asbestos, contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer immediately. Mesothelioma attorneys have helped thousands of mesothelioma patients win compensation for lost wages and medical costs.
Asbestos companies knew of the risks of asbestos exposure for decades before the public knew. There are avenues to compensation for their criminal actions. Asbestos attorneys can help those who have been wronged.