Asbestos Risk

There is a battle under way in Beaumont, Texas.  The Beaumont Independent School District voted last November to tear down the South Park School, used as a middle school until last year.  In response, more than 2,600 residents in the city of 110,000 signed a petition urging the school district to consider alternate plans for adaptive use.  The fate of this 1922 building is important to the safety and health of the community.  The demolition of this building could prove to be very dangerous because of the tons of asbestos containing materials it harbors. 
Removal of asbestos must be done under special procedures.  Asbestos removal must be done prior to demolition to keep the material from becoming airborne.  Inhaled asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems including mesothelioma, a deadly form of lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive cancer and it is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos.  There is no cure for Mesothelioma.   

The district is still in the midst of selecting a company to hire for the project, and will factor in the company's bid and prestige into their decision.  It is in everyone’s best interest that the right company and correct procedures in removing the asbestos are used.  Incorrect removal can expose many people to asbestos and a wave of asbestos lawsuits against the Beaumont Independent School District and others.  Of course, if a child or school official is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the affected parties should consult a mesothelioma asbestos law firm for legal advice.

 Because of the nature of the disease and the law surrounding asbestos, mesothelioma litigation is very specialized and complex. It is important that the affected parties consult a mesothelioma cancer attorney. HendlerLaw, a specialized mesothelioma cancer law firm has successfully litigated many asbestos lawsuits. For more information, or help dealing with mesothelioma litigation, call us at 1-800-443-6353, or visit www.mesothelioma-advice.org or www.Hendlerlaw.com. 
 

The International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma is a three-day conference for the entire meso community, including patients, their families, caregivers and advocates.
Learn about mesothelioma treatment options from meso experts from across the world; have your voice heard on Capitol Hill; meet, connect and share experiences and support with other mesothelioma patients and their family members; or connect with others who have lost a loved one to meso.

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation is an excellent source of information for anyone suffering from mesothelioma.

Some of the presentations planned for the symposium include:

• Present and Future Trends in Malignant Mesothelioma: Surgical and Researcher Perspective
• Photodynamic Therapy
• Update on Clinical Trials
• Peritoneal Mesothelioma.
   

The risk of school children being exposed to asbestos fibers is a serious and legitimate concern. Inhaled asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems including mesothelioma, a deadly form of lung cancer.  The effects of lung cancer, particularly on children, are devastating.

Because of this asbestos risk, Congress passed the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) in October 30, 1986.  The act is designed to protect school children and school employees from exposure to asbestos in school buildings.  AHERA required EPA to develop regulations for dealing with asbestos in public and nonprofit private elementary and secondary schools. 

The peak years of asbestos use in schools were from 1939 until the 1970s.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are asbestos-containing materials in most of the nation’s primary, secondary and charter schools. Asbestos is most commonly used in schools as insulation and in building materials. 

The AHERA schools rule requires all public school districts and private schools to conduct an asbestos risk assessment in all school buildings; to develop plans to manage asbestos in schools; and to carry out the plans in a timely fashion. The rule also provides an opportunity for parents, teachers, and other school employees to be informed about the asbestos risks in their children’s schools and become familiar with and involved in their school’s asbestos management program. School officials are required to notify parent, teacher and employee groups about asbestos-related activities.

The EPA developed steps that detail the proper way to deal with asbestos materials in public schools in order to minimize asbestos exposure. Upon finding asbestos in a school building, school officials can develop and carry out a special maintenance plan to ensure that asbestos containing materials are kept in good condition. This is the most common method when the materials are in good condition at the time of initial inspection.  School officials can also repair damaged pipe or boiler covering, which is known as thermal system insulation.  Another option is to spray the material with a sealant to prevent fiber release – a process called encapsulation.  Further, school officials can decide to place a barrier around the materials, which is known as an enclosure.  The last option is to remove the asbestos – under special procedures.  Only an AHERA-accredited management planner – an asbestos professional with proper training, qualifications, and experience – is authorized to advise school officials on which response action is appropriate for a particular situation. The final selection of the proper method is up to school officials after they receive the advice of the school’s accredited management planner.

Of course, if a child or school official is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the affected parties should consult a mesothelioma asbestos law firm for legal advice.  Because of the nature of the disease and the law surrounding asbestos, mesothelioma litigation is very specialized and complex.  It is important that the affected parties consult a mesothelioma cancer attorney. 

We've long known that when workers in any industry came home in asbestos-dust-covered clothing, besides the danger to their own health their spouses and family members were put at risk. Now it appears their future children may have been unwittingly exposed to the potentially life threatening substance.

In cases where workers were or are affecting their families, researchers have found asbestos fibers lodged not only in the lungs and the linings of both the pleura (lungs) and the peritoneum (abdomen) of family members, but also in the human ovary. A recent study has also identified some cases where asbestos fibers have been found in the placenta of both live and stillborn babies whose mothers were exposed to asbestos at different periods of their lives.

Mesothelioma is the deadly lung cancer that develops as a result of asbestos exposure. Because of the rising number of cases being reported around the world, more and more studies are focusing on finding new methods of mesothelioma treatment and also on how far-reaching these lung cancer effects might be.

If your family has had a child diagnosed with a gestational trophoblastic disease, or you’ve lost a child to such a condition, be sure to speak with your doctor about the possibility of asbestos exposure as a cause. If your regular doctor isn’t familiar with it or isn’t willing to discuss this very real possibility, look for a specialist who knows about the connection between asbestos exposure and this type of disease.

Once you learn there may be a connection, call a qualified mesothelioma cancer attorney as soon as possible. He or she will help you go through your family’s history and find out whether you might have a case against an employer who wrongfully denied you information about the dangers of asbestos.

We are available day or night to answer your questions at no cost to you. Call us at 800.443.6353.