Tuesday, October 30, 2018
M10.8 Blog about an occupationally-related disease
Asbestosis is what I decided to look into. Some jobs that are impacted include: factory workers, construction workers, firefighters and the list goes on. The American Public Health Association writes on their website that asbestosis still do exist in the United States, and workers could still be impacted while on the job. According to OSHA if the asbestos is airborne level, that is never ok. They do mention that there are certain laws placed for employers to follow, but employees need to be careful as well too.
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I definitely feel like more regulation and enforcement is needed in or to truly protect workers. Though there are laws in place, educating workers and providing regular training on how to address accidental exposure could go a long way in protecting them from harm. I feel like it is still the employers responsibility to protect their employees regardless, even if it is educating them on how to better protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteAgree with both of you here. I actually grew up in a small Pennsylvania town once known as "The Asbestos Capital of the World," where mesothelioma diagnoses were over 3 times more common than in the rest of the state. Ambler, PA was developed as a factory town for employees and families of an asbestos manufacturing plant. Believe it or not, children used to play together on giant piles of waste asbestos colloquially referred to as the "White Mountains".
ReplyDeleteIn the days before mesothelioma was a common diagnosis, many deaths were attributed to unspecified lung disease, leading some researchers to believe that the actual number of mesothelioma deaths was significantly underreported. But the hazards of asbestos exposure had been known or suspected since the early 1900s! How many workers and families were needlessly exposed? There was little to no education provided regarding the risks, and asbestos companies were known to intentionally stifle findings that were deemed harmful to industry.
Great story below, if you're interested:
https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/magazine/living-in-the-town-asbestos-built