Boilermaker
Boilermakers are defined as the workers who build, install, and repair boilers, tanks, and vessels. They are often responsible for cleaning and inspecting boilers as well. Boilers are vessels in which water or other fluids are heated to provide heat, hot water, or steam. Boilers can be found in both homes and commercial properties such as plants, power facilities, ships, factories, and refineries. Unfortunately, many boilermakers have suffered workplace exposure to asbestos, which can cause deadly mesothelioma cancer.
Asbestos, which was commonly used for insulating components in boilers, can release fibers and dust into the air when disturbed. When inhaled, an asbestos exposure can lead to a number of health problems. These include asbestosis and numerous cancers including mesothelioma, lung, esophageal, gastrointestinal, laryngeal, and pharyngeal.
Boilermakers who worked from about 1940 to 1980 are at a high risk for possible asbestos exposure because, as mentioned above, a variety of insulating materials used on and around boilers contained asbestos. Asbestos, a naturally occurring substance, was used on boilers not only for its insulating properties, but also for its resistance to heat. The installation and maintenance of boilers often meant hammering, filing, and sanding asbestos-containing parts, all of which can release asbestos fibers into the surrounding air. Only increasing the chances for asbestos exposure, is the fact that many boilers are located in small, poorly ventilated areas.
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Top Asbestos-Containing Products for a Boilermaker to Be Aware of:
• Gaskets
• asbestos liners
• insulation
A more exhaustive list can be found on our asbestos containing products page.
Boilermakers May Still Be at Risk for Asbestos Exposure
Because boilers can last for many years, today’s boilermaker may still face the dangerous risks associated with asbestos exposure. Modern boilermakers need to be cautious when repairing boilers made between 1940 and 1980, when asbestos use was at its peak. Modern boilermakers need to be taught the proper safety procedures and given the required equipment to protect them from the dangers of asbestos.
Were You Exposed to Asbestos While Working as a Boilermaker? Mesothelioma Attorneys May be Able to Help
It is recommended that people who have spent a significant period of time working as a boilermaker get a full physical evaluation by a medical doctor. Mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer caused by asbestos exposure, often takes 15-40 years to manifest and victims average only one year of life after diagnosis. Thus, it is important to catch the disease in its early stages. At-risk workers should pay close attention to any mesothelioma symptoms which include fluid in the lungs, chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and fatigue.