Many of those exposed to asbestos throughout the years have been employed in industrial trades. These workers are more likely to be diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, since they worked around so much of the substance every day.
Insulators: Asbestos was widely used within insulation products of all kinds, putting those insulators and other workers at risk when doing their job. Asbestos pipe covering, asbestos block insulation, asbestos-containing cement, asbestos lagging, and Zonolite attic insulation, are all common products that insulators worked with. Today, insulators are being diagnosed with fatal diseases as a result of their exposure at work.
Refinery Workers: Asbestos materials and products were commonly used in oil refineries. Used to insulate pipes, asbestos-containing products were often handled by maintenance workers. If the materials were breaking down to the point that the asbestos was friable, refinery workers were also at risk for breathing in the substance.
Factory Workers: Asbestos was used extensively in thousands of products throughout the 20th century. The manufacturing of asbestos products often took place with factories, where workers were exposed to the raw fibers.
Many workers spent decades inhaling asbestos fibers while on the job. This means that many victims of mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer are well into retirement by the time a diagnosis is made. If you have worked in one of the occupations listed above, alert your doctor to the possibility of asbestos exposure in your lifetime.