Asbestos is a group of heat-resistant fibrous silicate minerals that occur naturally as bundles of fibers. They can be woven into fabrics and used as insulating materials such as in brake linings. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, asbestos is made up of several mineral fibers such as, tremolite, amosite, chrysotile, crocidolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite.

The heat- and fire-resistant group of naturally occurring minerals has also been used as insulation material for stream lines, pipes, floor tiles, building materials, and brake linings, such as in clutches and brakes.

Historically, workers in certain industries have been subject to high levels of exposure to asbestos in the workplace. The kind of heavy exposure occurred often in the construction industry and ship repair. Exposure to asbestos in the workplace can occur during removal of asbestos during demolitions, renovations, and repair. Exposure to asbestos in the workplace also results during manufacturing of asbestos products, such as during insulation, textile repair, friction products, clutch repair work, and automobile brake repair.

Individuals who work in certain occupations, moreover, may be at a higher risk for being exposed to asbestos in the workplace. The occupations include roofers, sheet metal workers, tilers, plumbers, paper mill workers, auto mechanics, shipyards workers, and many more.

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “asbestos is well recognized as a health hazard and its use is now highly regulated by both OSHA and EPA.” This is particularly due to highly elevated health risks involved in exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos fibers are extremely small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Moreover, if asbestos is breathed in, the fibers buildup like scar-like tissue in the lungs.

What may result from this is asbestosis, a scarring and chronic inflammatory disease affecting the tissues of the lungs, and causes lung malfunction and often leads to disability and death. Asbestosis increases the further risk of developing certain cancers, such as lung cancer.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the U.S. and more than 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease every year. Lung cancer is also known to kill more Americans than any other type of cancer in the U.S. Moreover, asbestos lung cancer is also deemed to have caused more than 4,800 of these deaths.

OSHA provides a multitude of specific standards and requirements on employers to provide hazard awareness training when it comes to any potential exposure to asbestos.

However, in workers who have been diagnosed with lung cancer, companies may sometimes try to discount and attribute the diagnosis by claiming that it was the result of tobacco smoke. And, although most lung cancer is attributed to tobacco smoke, a small yet fair amount is associated to asbestos exposure. Attorneys with experience in asbestos related lawsuits have successfully argued on their client’s behalf that their lung cancer diagnosis was caused by asbestos exposure.