Asbestos News Roundup: 5.15.14 – New Study Highlights Industrial Worker Asbestos Risk

May 15th, 2014. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of. An ongoing list of reported asbestos hot spots in the US from the Asbestos News Roundup archive appears on our asbestos map.

Industrial Worker Asbestos Disease—Even Low Asbestos Exposure is Dangerous

New research published recently in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, suggests that industrial workers at the lowest levels of the asbestos exposure spectrum may still be at risk for deadly mesothelioma, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer.

The study used data from the long-running Netherlands Cohort Study of 58,279 Norwegian men between 55 and 69 years old. To determine the association between asbestos risk and cancer, researchers compared each man’s job history to asbestos-exposure matrices of various occupations. They then compared likely levels of asbestos exposure to the incidence of mesothelioma and several other cancers.

After 17.3 years of follow-up, there were 132 cases of mesothelioma, 2,324 cases of lung cancer, and 166 cases of laryngeal cancer. Although very rare, mesothelioma is considered the most deadly of the asbestos-linked cancers because of its fast progression and resistance to standard treatments. Of the three types of cancer studied, only two subtypes—lung adenocarcinoma (a form of non-small cell lung cancer) and glottis cancer (a subtype of laryngeal cancer affecting the vocal chords)—were associated with higher levels of prolonged asbestos exposure.

For mesothelioma and all other categories of lung and laryngeal cancer, even lower levels of asbestos exposure were enough to trigger disease. “Asbestos levels encountered at the lower end of the exposure distribution may be associated with an increased risk of pleural mesothelioma, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer,” the researchers conclude.

The U.S. EPA has stated that all levels of asbestos exposure are potentially risky. They have strict guidelines governing the handling and disposal of asbestos and recommend that do-it-yourself home renovators hire asbestos abatement professionals in order to minimize their mesothelioma risk.

The original study appears in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the journal of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. (Offermans, NS, et al, “Occupational Asbestos Exposure and Risk of Pleural Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, and Laryngeal Cancer in the Prospective Netherlands Cohort Study”, December 17, 2013, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epub ahead of print. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24351898). 

Asbestos Lawsuits

Charleston, WV:  The executor of the estate of the late Glen Campbell has filed an asbestos lawsuit alleging Campbell, of Hitchins, KY, died November 8, of asbestos mesothelioma. He was diagnosed July 3.

The named defendants are:  3M Company, 4520 Corp. Inc., A.W. Chesterton Company Inc., Air & Liquid Systems Corp., Ajax Magnethermic Corp., AK Steel Corp., formerly known as ARMCO Steel Corp., Allied Corp., Allied Glove Corp., Allied Mineral Products Inc., American Electric Power Service Corp., Appalachian Power Co., Armstrong International Inc., Ashland, Inc., Aristech Chemical Corp., now known as Sunoco Chemicals Inc., Aurora Pump Coompany, Beazer East Inc., formerly known as Koppers Co. Inc., Bechtel Corp., Borg-Warner Corp., Catalytie Construction Company, Cleaver Brooks Co. Inc., Columbus McKinnon Corp., Crane Co., Dravo Corp., Eaton Electrical Inc., as successor-in-interest to Cutler-Hammer Inc., F.B. Wright Company of Pittsburgh, Flowserve FSD Corp., individually and as successor-in-interest to Durametallic Corp., Flowserve US, Inc., formerly known as Durco International Inc., FMC Corp., Ford Motor Co., Foster Wheeler Energy Corp., Gardner Denver Inc., Genuine Parts Co., Geo. V. Hamilton, Inc., Goulds Pumps Inc., Grinnell L.L.C., Hercules Inc., Honeywell International, formerly known as Allied Signal Inc., formerly known as Allied Corp. as successor-m-interest to Bendix Corp., Honeywell Inc., Howden North America Inc., formerly known as Howden Buffalo Inc., I.U. North America Inc., as successor by merger to the Garp Co., formerly known as the Gage Co., formerly known as Pittsburg Gage and Supply Company, IMO Industries Inc., formerly known as IMO Delaval Inc., formerly known as DeLave, Turbine Inc., DeValco Corp., Inductotherm Industries Inc., Industrial Holdings Corp., formerly known as Carborundum Co., Ingersoll-Rand Co., Insul Co. Inc., ITT Corp, doing business as Bell & Gossett Pumps and doing business as Kennedy Valves, J.H. France Refractories, Kentucky Power Co., Lockheed Martin Corp., McJunkin Corp, also known as McJunkin Redman Corp., Morgan Engineering Systems Inc., Nagle Pumps Inc., Nitro Industrial Coverings Inc., Oglebay Norton Company and its division Ferro Engineering, Ohio Power Co., Ohio Valley Insulating Co. Inc., Owens-Illinois Inc., P&H Mining Equipment Inc., Premier Refractories Inc., formerly known as Adience Inc., successor-in-interest to Adience Co. L.P., as successor to BMI Inc., Reading Crane, Riley Power Inc., formerly known as Rileystoker Corp., Rockwell Automation Inc., Rust Constructors Inc., formerly known as The Rust Engineering Co., Rust Engineering & Construction Inc., Schneider Electric U.S.A. Inc., formerly known as Square D Co., State Electric Supply Co., Sterling Fluid Systems L.L.C., Sunbeam Corp., SVI Corp., formerly known as Stockham Valves & Fittings, formerly known as Marlin Valve, Swindell Dressler International Corp., Tasco Insulations Inc., the Alliance Machine Co., the Rust Engineering Co., Thiem Corp., and its division, Universal Refractories, U.B. West Virginia Inc., formerly known as Union Boiler Co., Uniroyal Inc., United Engineers & Constructors and Washington Group International, formerly known as Raytheon Engineers & Constructors Inc. and all its domestic subsidiaries, including the Badger Co., Inc., now known as URS Energy & Construction Inc., United States Steel L.L.C., Viking Pump Inc., Vimasco Corp., Warren Pumps Inc., West Virginia Electric Supply Co. and Zurn Industries L.L.C., citing negligence, contaminated buildings, breach of expressed/implied warranty, strict liability, intentional tort, conspiracy, misrepresentations, post sale duty to warn and deliberate intent/intentional tort. (wvrecord.com)

Asbestos Law

Worcester, MA: A $16,137.50 penalty has been levied against a Worcester company by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for violations of asbestos removal regulations during the replacement of windows at a Southbridge Street condominium tower.

“Companies conducting renovation projects must first determine if any asbestos-containing materials will be involved,” said Lee Dillard Adams, director of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester, in a press release.

The asbestos removal violations were discovered during a 2013 inspection, when MassDEP employees found that window caulking and glazing containing asbestos was being improperly removed at the residential building, according to MassDEP. While the company was replacing windows at the site, it had not notified MassDEP and was not properly handling and storing the asbestos-containing material.

“Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and following prescribed regulatory work practices is imperative to protect workers as well as the general public. Failure to do so will result in penalties, as well as escalated cleanup, decontamination and monitoring costs,” said Adams.

The company will pay $10,000 of the penalty and have the remaining $6,137.50 be suspended as long as the company does not have another violation within one year, according to the terms of the settlement. (masslive.com)

Tags: Asbestos, asbestos fine, asbestos lawsuit, Asbestos Mesothelioma, asbestos risk

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