High Risk of Asbestos Exposure to Firemen
According to a 2010 study by NIOSH analyzing the cancer incidence among firefighters from San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia, firefighters had a two-times higher risk of developing mesothelioma than the general public, particularly pleural mesothelioma, likely due to their occupational asbestos exposure.
How are Firemen Exposed to Asbestos?
- Clothing and protective gear
Asbestos was commonly added to products used and worn by firemen due to its fire-resistant properties. Asbestos was woven into coats, hoods, fire suits, jackets, liners, boots, gloves, among other products.
These fire-resistant products were often worn or used by firefighters to protect themselves when dealing with fires and other high-risk environmental circumstances. Unfortunately, when the clothing rubbed against the firefighter’s skin, the asbestos fibers and dust become airborne and susceptible to inhalation.
- Older buildings
Asbestos materials were abundant in both commercial and residential structures throughout the 20th century, leaving firefighters vulnerable now when working in older buildings. Older buildings, when damaged by fire, release microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. Those fibers can travel a considerable distance and remain airborne for extended periods.The easily inhaled fibers are sharp and become trapped, forever lodged in areas such as the lung, throat, stomach, and heart. Over time, these sharp fibers become further embedded into these organs and surrounding soft tissue causing fibrosis, which can lead to tumor development. .
Asbestos exposure to Firefighters at Ground Zero on 9/11
Firefighters who served at Ground Zero on 9/11 were exposed to asbestos. The bottom floors of the Twin Towers were coated in almost 1,000-tons of asbestos released into the air when the buildings collapsed. Those without respirators would have inhaled toxic dust.
Your financial resources will likely not be enough to cover all of the medical, rehabilitative, and living costs you will incur if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
At GPW we have represented thousands of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestos-disease victims. Our involvement in asbestos litigation from the very beginning have given our mesothelioma lawyers a clear understanding of what is required to succeed and get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us today!
