Asbestos

There are many different blue collar trades in the United States affected by asbestos exposure on the job, since the substance has been used in consumer products, building materials, and more for decades. Many of these workers are at risk for developing serious diseases due to prolonged exposure, day after day. Let’s take a look [...]

Asbestos in building materials puts firefighters and hazmat workers at risk of exposure during and after fires. The September 2015 Butte Fire in California’s Amador and Calaveras Counties burned more than 70,000 acres and burned more than 850 residential and other kinds of buildings. In early October, state and federal agencies began coordinating and managing [...]

Many of those diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos while on the job. Since the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) requires employees to keep workers safe from toxic exposures at work, many of these employees are eligible for workers’ compensation after diagnosis. Workers’ compensation can help workers pay for expensive medical bills, lost [...]

While Portland, Oregon deals with its own asbestos problems, North Ridge Estates – a residential subdivision located about three miles north of Klamath Falls – is planning to clean up some of its own. The area is on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priority List, which is comprised of the most contaminated sites in the [...]

Asbestos can be present in older building materials of many types and can be released when disturbed in later remedial construction. Asbestos was used for decades in many construction materials present in residential and commercial buildings. Nowadays, microscopic asbestos fibers can be released from those materials during home, commercial and public building renovations and demolitions. [...]

An advocacy group has nationally mapped asbestos fatality data over a 14-year period. What do states as diverse as Delaware, Maine, Montana, Pennsylvania, Washington and West Virginia have in common? Unfortunately, they have the highest death rates from asbestos-related causes, a shocking 50 to 100 percent higher than the average nationwide, according to a new [...]

Although contained, the Butte Fire in California still threatens the lives of individuals returning to their homes–or what is left of their homes. While the threat might not pose as immediate of a threat to individuals as the flames of a fire, the debris left behind could contain toxic substances that can affect their health [...]

Asbestos amongst Butte Fire Debrisby Brayton Purcell LLP | Oct 28, 2015 | Asbestos | Although contained, the Butte Fire in California still threatens the lives of individuals returning to their homes–or what is left of their homes. While the threat might not pose as immediate of a threat to individuals as the flames of [...]

When it comes to protecting public health and worker safety, fines against offending businesses are often the weapon of choice. But if a company stands to make a large profit by violating the law or by putting the health of workers at risk, fines may be viewed as just another business expense. Pharmaceutical companies are [...]

We see it all of the time: homeowners updating their houses with beautiful remodeling projects. But what happens when those projects become fatal situations? Many people do not stop to think that asbestos might be present in those old materials they are disturbing during renovations. Exposure to asbestos can lead to deadly diseases, like asbestosis, [...]