Sheet metal workers are one occupational group that has faced a history of asbestos exposure. In a recent story from Portsmouth England, Betty Williamson’s husband, a past sheet metal worker, passed away from an asbestos-related disease.
Her husband, Tom Williamson, received a mesothelioma diagnosis in October of last year and was informed that he only had a few months to live. The couple initially became concerned after Mr. Williamson developed a bad cough.
Mrs. Williamson believes her husband may have been exposed to asbestos during the 20 years that he worked for a sheet metal business. She said, “I cannot believe what has happened in a year. He was always a healthy person. We had lots of plans for our retirement.”
The Health and Safety Executive plans to launch a new asbestos campaign in November to notify workers about the dangers of asbestos-containing materials.
The use of sheet metal has been a part of several common construction projects, including guttering, siding, roofing and installing ventilation ducts for heating and air conditioning systems. Workers within the sheet metal industry can be exposed to asbestos through shaping and cutting sheet metal, which causes asbestos fibers to become airborne.
The release of asbestos fibers into the air allows for the inhalation of the toxic mineral, the primary method of exposure. Once inhaled, the microscopic fibers that make up asbestos have the potential of becoming lodged within the lining of the lungs, eventually causing pleural mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness.
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is difficult to diagnose because symptoms such as a persistent cough can be mistaken for a less serious condition. Former sheet metal workers who suspect they were exposed to asbestos should seek regular checkups for signs of asbestos exposure.
Present workers who handle sheet metal on a regular basis should use all precautions when working with the material. The Environmental Protection Agency claims there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.
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