During any renovation and demolition project, worker safety should be a paramount concern. Along with the injury risks of heavy equipment, toxic exposure and demolition asbestos injury risks should be addressed prior to any minor or major construction task.
Due to the widespread use of asbestos materials in countless older buildings and structures, workers are at a heightened risk for demolition asbestos injury that can include lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Since asbestos materials are resistant to heat and corrosion, it was widely used in building products like pipe insulation, roofing tiles, floor tiles, soundproofing, and other various building materials. During demolition projects, all of these materials are bound to be disturbed, and the toxic fibers of asbestos materials have the ability to cause severe harm to worker’s health.
Asbestos fibers, when inhaled or ingested, are associated with health risks like mesothelioma, lung cancer, angiosarcoma, adenocarcinoma, and asbestosis.
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Cincinnati Asbestos Lawyer and Ohio Mesothelioma Attorney reviewing demolition asbestos injury for plaintiffs nationwide.
Demolition Asbestos Injury
Several health agencies and worker safety programs have said that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Even a small amount of asbestos inhalation can lead to severe respiratory issues or cancers that can lay dormant and present decades after initial exposure. Asbestos exposures as short as a few days have caused cases of mesothelioma cancer.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established standards for the construction industry, aimed at reducing the risk of construction and demolition asbestos injury for workers. Employers are required by law to provide protective equipment, training, and personal exposure monitoring.
If there is any risk of toxic exposure at a work site, employers must establish regulated areas, control work safety practices and do everything possible to reduce airborne asbestos levels. Should any demotion or construction company fail to provide a safe working environment for workers and injuries or illnesses are sustained, workers may have a valuable injury claim against a negligent employer.
