Hispanic Workers are at High Risk for Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma is a deadly type of cancer that is caused by exposure to the fibrous material known as asbestos. The material was once widely used in the construction industry because it was cheap and effective. However, once its dangers became publicly known, its use was severely restricted or banned in most parts of the world.

The danger of asbestos still exists, as asbestos removal (asbestos abatement) is a particularly dangerous task in itself. The process requires workers to come into direct contact with asbestos. Safety precautions and equipment are essential for the job, but the risk of developing mesothelioma is not completely eliminated. This means that many buildings built before the 1970’s may still be insulated with asbestos.

To add to the dangers of asbestos exposure, mesothelioma has an unusually long latency period. This means that those who are exposed to asbestos, including those whose job it is to remove the harmful substance, may not show any symptoms of mesothelioma for years. As with all types of cancer, the longer the person goes without being properly diagnosed, the more difficult the disease is to treat.

There are currently several types of treatment plans, generally using a multi-modal approach including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. However, there is no cure available for mesothelioma. Those who are exposed to asbestos face the prospect of developing a terminal illness. As one may imagine, few are eager to work in the field of asbestos abatement.

One difficulty with diagnosing mesothelioma is that it shares many of the same symptoms with other forms of cancer. Pleural mesothelioma affects the body in similar ways to lung cancer, though the disease actually functions very differently.

Symptoms of mesothelioma may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Weight loss
• Cough
• Fever
• Weakness / loss of energy

As these symptoms progress, they may become debilitating.

Recently, there was a national meeting regarding asbestos exposure in the construction and asbestos industries. Many leaders and industry workers met to express the importance and need of stronger safety measures and regulations in regards to asbestos exposure.

During this meeting, it became evident that Hispanic immigrant workers were a prominent voice of the group. Those workers discussed how unsafe their work environment really was.

One issue that was discussed was the lack of asbestos warnings. In all cases where asbestos may be present, a sign should be included to warn of the possible danger. Hispanic immigrant workers noted that many areas remain unmarked, significantly raising the risk of unexpected exposure to asbestos. This was reported to have been the case in a school.

There are several reasons that Hispanic immigrant workers are at a high risk for developing mesothelioma. One reason is the language barrier. They may not be able to accurately report the specific incidences. Other workers may not be aware of asbestos, its dangers, or how to properly identify the material. Employers and managers have been accused of taking advantage of these reasons in order to cut corners with the jobs.

Another commonly reported reason is that many Hispanic immigrant workers are afraid of being fired for standing up for better health and safety measures. Some reported being threatened of being fired by managers if they spoke out about their safety concerns. Unfortunately, many Hispanic immigrants have difficulties finding employment and are restricted to working these less-than-desirable jobs.

For many who currently work in these fields, it might be too late. Mesothelioma can result from as little as a single exposure to asbestos. Many of these workers come into contact with it on a near daily basis.

These workers attend meetings to urge lawmakers to enact a national ban on the use of asbestos and to improve the working conditions for future workers. Safety organizations, such as the Environmental Protect Agency (EPA), have identified asbestos as a deadly carcinogen for years, yet no such ban of its use exists in the United States.