The Danger of Asbestos to Iron Workers

Constructions workers, and specifically iron workers, often get a bad reputation as the object of ridicule and shame. You've seen the comic strips and the TV commercials and the movie characters depicting iron workers as little more than cavemen whooping it up at every pretty girl that walks by. They are always dirty with a beer belly and usually unshaven. And some of that reputation may be deserved. But without them, there would be no Empire State Building; no Sears Tower; no Trump Towers. In fact, after 9/11, iron workers were one of the first of the construction crews on the scene to help dig out survivors. But did you know that the danger of working the "big iron" extends well past the initial danger of falling 50 stories to the ground. The biggest danger is mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that can only develop after being exposed to asbestos, a material that nearly every iron worker will come into contact with at some point in their career. For decades, asbestos has been used in any number of construction products from electrical panel to iron beams. As a result, many iron workers run the risk of discovering they have developed mesothelioma.

Why are iron workers particularly at risk for Mesothelioma?

In the past, iron workers mainly came in contact with asbestos from the iron beam itself. For decades, the beams were coated with an asbestos sheath because of its resistance to heat and fiber. Asbestos helped to create a beam that was less likely to collapse if the finished building caught fire. Iron workers would regularly inhale the asbestos fibers because the beam was manipulated from the truck to the crane; from the crane to the installation point; and then from the installation point to the finished product. During each of these steps, asbestos fibers would scrape off the iron beam and become airborne. Then the worker would inhale the fibers.

Iron workers also handle other materials on a daily basis that brings them into contact with asbestos, especially prior to the early 1970s. The early 70s is when the federal government got involved and began issuing strong warnings about the dangers of asbestos and its possible link to mesothelioma.

DANGERS TO THIS GENERATIONS IRON WORKER

Question: Asbestos isn't as commonly used into today's building materials as it was back then...why should I worry?

Answer: Because they don't build them like they used to. Which means a lot of those building and farmhouses and stadiums that were built 50-plus years ago are still in use. Buildings have to be upgraded and modified. Sometimes those building have to be demolished to make room for newer, fancier and more technologically advanced buildings. Who do you call? You call the iron workers. Iron workers are readily used in demolition crews as well as building crews. So even if the worker has only been working the "big iron" in the last 10 years, he could get exposed to asbestos at a demolition site.

DON'T PEOPLE LIVE LONG LIVES WITH CANCER? WHY SHOULD MESOTHELIOMA SCARE ME?

Mesothelioma is one of the few forms of cancer that can be traced to one specific source. That source is asbestos exposure. Of course, if you want to almost eliminate your chances of developing mesothelioma, you could just change jobs. But it takes a certain breed of human to work 50-stories or more in the air (and the money's pretty good too).

Mesothelioma should be of concern if you decide this is the life for you. At some point in your career, you will likely come into contact with asbestos. Being forewarned of the dangers is the best preventative measure you can take. But knowing about the danger and taking the precautions is still necessary.

STEPS TO FOLLOW IF YOU DEVELOP MESOTHELIOMA Even after taking all of the necessary precautions you may still develop mesothelioma. If this happens you should see a doctor immediately. You should also do your own research and stay on top of all of the most recent advancements in mesothelioma research. You may even have a legal claim if the business that originally put you in harms way is still in business.