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Asbestos Tape - Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

The health risks associated with the use of asbestos were known as early as the 1930s, however this tough, durable substance was used with very few restrictions up until the 1980s. Asbestos was particularly favored in the construction industry, as its strength, excellent insulating capabilities, and high heat resistance made it an ideal construction material. Asbestos tape was used in a variety of ways, commonly to seal ducts and joints, and as electrical insulation, and contains up to 80% asbestos.

Asbestos is a highly dangerous substance, however. Long-term exposure to asbestos is a known cause of lung cancer, and several other diseases are associated with exposure to asbestos, including a lung and respiratory disease called asbestosis, and a rare but deadly type of cancer called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma most commonly affects the lining of the lungs, but may occasionally affect the lining of the heart or abdomen. Asbestos exposure is the sole cause of both mesothelioma and asbestosis.

In America, asbestos was widely used in more than 5,000 different constructions and manufacturing products until 1977, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of this substance in most construction materials. However, while the ban applied to the production of new materials, existing stocks of asbestos-containing construction products was allowed to continue well into the 1980s.

Anyone who worked in the manufacture or use of construction products up until the 1980s may potentially have been exposed to asbestos. However, mesothelioma and asbestosis have very long latency periods. A worker who was exposed to asbestos in the 1970s or 1980s may not develop mesothelioma for several decades, and for this reason the diagnosis of new cases of these diseases are increasing at an alarming rate. Currently approximately two thousand Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year.

Asbestos tape does not pose a significant health hazard to home-owners, as there is less chance of asbestos fibers become airborne than with many other types of asbestos-containing construction materials. However, if asbestos tape is present in the home there is the possibility that other types of materials used in construction also contain asbestos. If you suspect this is possible in your home, it is important to seek professional advice before attempting to determine if asbestos is present, or if you plan to remodel in the home, as either activity can release asbestos fibers into the air.

Over the past twenty years, large numbers of people who were exposed to asbestos during the mid to late twentieth century have developed mesothelioma or asbestosis as a result. The greatest tragedy of these diseases - apart from the devastation they inflict on victims and their loved ones - is that they are entirely avoidable. Many companies chose to ignore the risks their workers were faced with, failing to provide safety equipment that would have protected them from asbestos exposure.

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with mesothelioma, it's important to know that you have some legal rights in the matter. Contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer without delay, to discuss your rights and what you can do to ensure the company responsible for your disease is held accountable. Many people have successfully obtained compensation that can pay for medical expenses and lost income, and provide some financial compensation - and justice - for the emotional and physical toll that mesothelioma inflicts.

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