Blog

Asbestos – Unsafe At Any Level

Posted on November 29th, 2009 by Robert D. Rowland

Recently the Surgeon General announced that asbestos exposure at any level is unsafe. Specifically, he has advised the public that there is no safe level of asbestos. This position is consistent with the view many lawyers, myself included, and experts have held for some time. A single asbestos fiber can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer or serious asbestosis.

Specifically, Surgeon General Steven Galson stated in a press release dated April 1, 2009, that “asbestos can be dangerous if it is inhaled. Activity that disturbs asbestos causing these small fibers to float in air increases the chances of inhalation and the contraction of asbestos-related disease. Disturbance is what leads to exposure. Do not attempt to touch or remove asbestos by yourself. Only people professionally trained and certified to safely handle asbestos should remove it.”

Despite this undeniable fact, asbestos is still mined and used in products sold in the United States. In 1972, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its first asbestos exposure standard limiting the permissive exposure limit. This initial limit, two fibers per cubic centimeter of air over an eight hour time period, has been reduced to its current limit of .1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air.

Despite the Surgeon General’s statement and OSHA’s increasing strict limitation on exposure, it is interesting that the United States has not completely banned the sale or use of asbestos. It is even more interesting that over forty years, other countries have.

To learn more or contact this author, Robert Rowland, click here.