The Most Common Buildings with
Asbestos Problems:
If you live in an older home or work in an older building, you may not have thought about one of the biggest health risks in your daily environment – asbestos. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral once prized for its fire-resistant properties and its malleability. But asbestos can cause cancer, including the deadly mesothelioma. If you live or work in an older building, you could face asbestos exposure without even realizing it.
Why is Asbestos a Problem in Buildings?
Because asbestos is fire-resistant, many manufacturers incorporated it into a wide range of construction materials. Insulation, flooring, drywall, cement siding, pipe wraps, roofing materials, asphalt and vinyl floor tiles, HVAC duct insulation, plaster, chalkboards, ceiling tiles, flashing, fire doors, adhesives, and many other materials used in construction before the 1970's contained asbestos.Older buildings that haven’t yet undergone asbestos remediation no doubt have asbestos all over the building. If materials containing asbestos are disturbed through renovation, break down over the years, or burn, the lightweight asbestos filters can enter the air and water, where people can inhale or ingest them. Once in your body, asbestos can cause cancer and a wide range of chronic health issues.
Buildings with the Biggest Asbestos Problems
- Pre-1970 Homes: Many of us handle simple home renovations on our own. But if you live in a home built before 1970, asbestos may be in the construction materials used in your home. Homeowners are most likely to face asbestos exposure from an attic renovation, drilling into walls containing asbestos, removing popcorn ceilings, removing vinyl floor tiles, or cutting insulation on pipes.
- Pre-1970 Office and Government Buildings: Older office buildings also contain a wide variety of construction materials containing asbestos. Office renovations or construction work can often unwittingly expose office and construction workers to asbestos.
- Older Schools: More than half of U.S. schools were built between 1950 and 1969, the prime years for adding asbestos to virtually all construction materials. For many cities facing budget issues, older schools aren’t always updated and remediated quickly. In the meantime, staff and children can face asbestos exposure from neglected or buildings quickly renovated without the proper safety precautions.
Remember that no level of asbestos exposure is harmless. While OSHA does have standards for minimum levels of asbestos exposure, according to medical experts, no level of asbestos exposure is safe.
You Need Experienced Legal Advice
If you believe that you or a loved one are sick from asbestos exposure, you may be entitled to compensation. Give the Madeksho Law Firm a call at 1-888-910-MESO (6376) or contact us through our online form. Your initial consultation is free, and you never pay a fee unless we recover compensation for you.
