Asbestosis is a chronic lungs disease ..

Asbestosis is the accumulation of asbestos in the lungs over a long period of time for over 20-40 years . It has no cure .

1. ASBESTOSIS

2. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION HISTORY EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS OCCUPATIONS AT HIGH RISK OF EXPOSURE SYMPTOMS ADVANCED SYMPTOMS ASBESTOS CAUSED DISEASES TREATMENT OPTIONS ASBESTOS REGULATIONS FAMOUS DEATHS DUE TO ASBESTOS CONCLUSION REFERENCES

3. INTRODUCTION Asbestos is a mineral that exists naturally in fibrous form and is resistant to heat, water, chemicals and electricity. Asbestosis is a type of pulmonary fibrosis, a condition in which the lung tissue becomes scarred over time. It is not a type of cancer, but it has the same cause as mesothelioma (a tumour of the tissue that lines the lungs, stomach, heart & other organs) and other asbestos related cancers.

4. Throughout the 20 th century, asbestos was incorporated into thousands of construction, commercial & household products, including fire retardant coatings, cement, bricks, pipes, flooring, roofing, lawn furniture, hats & gloves & sealants. Most cases trace back to consistent exposure of asbestos containing materials in construction sites, ships & industrial facilities. For an asbestos related illness to develop, it usually takes years of regular exposure, followed by latency period that may last decades before symptoms present. Because this disease is similar to other types of pulmonary fibrosis, diagnosing asbestosis requires thorough medical & occupational histories in addition to medical testing. Most patients diagnosed in recent years were exposed before the 1970s.

5. HISTORY Starting in the late 1800s, when Canadian companies first began mining asbestos on a massive scale, dozens of industries embraced the fibrous mineral for its natural resistance to heat, flame, electricity & chemical damage. These desirable qualities, in addition to its affordability, motivated companies around the world to incorporate asbestos into thousands of consumer & industrial products. Prior to the 1960s, the public knew little to nothing about the potentially fatal consequences of asbestos exposure. According to one study, 27 million workers in the US were exposed to airborne asbestos fibers between 1940 & 1979.

6. EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS In the past, many occupations entailed exposures to asbestos, for e.g., floor covering workers, furnace workers, roofers, demolition workers, & workers of mining companies, shipyard workers, oil refineries, automotive repair shops, asbestos product manufacturing, etc. Secondary exposure occurred when people who did not work directly with asbestos were nevertheless exposed to fibers as a result of sharing workspace with others handled asbestos. For e.g., electricians who worked in shipyards were exposed because asbestos was used to coat the ships’ pipes & hulls.

7. In the past, asbestos workers went home covered in asbestos dust because of a lack of proper industrial hygiene. The workers’ families & other household contacts then exposed via inhalation of asbestos dust. Most asbestos produced is still used in the construction industries, & risk to the workers can be considerable if the hazard is not recognized & OSHA standards are not enforced. Responders to World Trade Center (WTC) disaster were exposed on an acute short term basis to an asbestos containing mixture of particulate matter released by the collapsing towers & by rescue, recovery & clean up activities. Among the early responders were- firefighters, police, volunteers, paramedics. Some people exposed subsequently developed reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS).

8. OCCUPATIONS AT HIGH RISK OF EXPOSURE Before federal organizations like the US-EPA & the OSHA enacted strict regulations on asbestos use, numerous industries hailed the material as a cheap, effective insulator & put it to extensive use. Workers frequently exposed to asbestos include: MINERS : This was one of the most hazardous occupations. While all miners historically struggled with low pay & hazardous working conditions, the high risk for pleural mesothelioma & other asbestos related disease made mining dangerous. In order to preserve the valued physical properties of asbestos, miners would excavate it dry. Once the raw asbestos arrived at mill, workers fed it into primary crushers where it was crushed & sorted. As the process continued, more & more dust was generated. One of the most dangerous steps was bagging, i.e., pressing the fiber into burlap sacks by hands.

9. SHIPYARD WORKERS: The use of asbestos aboard Navy & Civilian ships exposed countless workers to the toxic mineral. According to Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, one of the first medical researchers to link asbestos to cancer, all U.S. merchants marine vessels built before 1975 contained extensive asbestos insulation materials. Shipbuilders sprayed asbestos onto bulkheads & deckheads & used the material to insulate pipes & machinery. During World War II, the pressure to rapidly produce ships took precedence over the safety of workers as well as people who shared workspaces at shipyards. CONSTRUCTION WORKERS: Thousands of construction products contained asbestos prior to 1980s. Demolition crews & home renovators are among the most at risk of exposure. Roofing & flooring materials are still made with asbestos, placing current workers on new project at risk of exposure.

10. FIREFIGHTERS: Fires quickly damage asbestos products, causing asbestos fibers to become airborne. Asbestos was used to make protective firefighting clothing, helmets & boots. Many firefighters were exposed to asbestos during & after the 9/11 attacks of the WTC. INDUSTRIAL WORKERS: Industrial workers include mechanics, foremen, trade laborers, chemical workers & machinery operators. Workers were exposed to asbestos products such as asbestos paper, textiles, gaskets, insulation & fireproofing. Industrial insulators are among the most at risk of asbestos exposure in the industry.

11. SYMPTOMS OF ASBESTOSIS When scar tissue forms around the lungs’ microscopic air sacs, it gradually becomes harder for them to expand & fill with fresh air. This can cause a series of symptoms, including- shortness of breath, persistent dry cough, chest tightness & pain, fatigue, loss of weight & appetite, crackling sound when breathing. The stiffening of the lungs causes the coughing, discomfort & crackling sound associated with asbestosis, & it also results in less oxygen being delivered to the blood, causing shortness of breath. Because the body relies on oxygen for energy, chronic breathing difficulties lead to fatigue & weight loss.

12. ADVANCED SYMPTOMS OF ASBESTOSIS PULMONARY HYPERTENSION: The formation of scar tissue may also constrict arteries & make it harder to pump blood out of the heart & into the lungs without increasing the pressure required to perform the action. This is called pulmonary hypertension, which is a different condition from the more commonly occurring “high blood pressure” or systemic hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension is dangerous because it forces the heart to work harder. CLUBBED FINGERS & TOES: When the lungs deliver insufficient oxygen to the blood, a symptom called “clubbing” may arise. The tips of the toes & fingers appear wider & rounder than normal. Fingernails & toenails may become deformed because of the lack of oxygen reaching the body’s extremities.

13. ASBESTOS CAUSED DISEASES The list of disease include: Asbestosis Mesothelioma Lung cancer Laryngeal cancer Ovarian/Testes cancer Pleural plaques Pleural thickening Pleural effusion

14. ASBESTOSIS TREATMENT OPTIONS Asbestosis is an irreversible condition. With the exception of lung transplantation, all treatment options are palliative, meaning they address the symptoms of asbestosis to improve the patient’s quality of life. Other treatment options include: SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN from a portable oxygen tank is often necessary for patients with reduced lung capacity. MEDICATIONS can thin lung secretions to make coughing easier & release chest pain. PULMONARY REHABILITATION helps patients learn techniques & make lifestyle changes to better cope with chronic breathing difficulties. Some patients also find relief through complementary & alternative medical treatments such as accupuncture , massage therapy & homeopathic medicine.

15. ASBESTOS REGULATION The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) didn’t regulate asbestos exposure in the workplace until 1971. Throughout the 1980s & 1990s, OSHA progressively reduced permissible asbestos concentrations in the workplace, which helped limit the risk of workers developing the disease. However, the consequences from the lack of regulation are still lingering. IN INDIA : The Indian Factory Act & Bureau of Indian Standard already have rules & regulations for safe usage of asbestos contaminated products such as: -Guidelines for safe usage of asbestos cement products. -Guidelines for safe usage of asbestos sealing & insulation products.

16. -Pictorial warnings to be implemented on equipment containing asbestos contaminated product. -Safety & health requirements related to occupational exposure to asbestos . The Ban Asbestos Network Of India (BANI) has been working towards an asbestos free India to safeguard the health of present & future generation.

17. FAMOUS DEATHS DUE TO ASBESTOS DONNA SUMMER (1948-2012): She was the unrivaled queen of disco in the 1970s & 80s & was healthy until she was exposed to asbestos in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks. Many first responders were exposed to asbestos contaminated dust. MERLIN OLSEN (1940-2010): He was a longtime football player for the LA Rams where he played for 15 seasons before jumping into show business. He starred in 1970s & 80s classics. In beginning when he was just 11, he worked in construction over the summers for years. This was likely the start of his exposure to asbestos that resulted in mesothelioma.

18. PAUL GLEASON (1939-2006): Probably best known as the uptight principal in 1980s classic film The Breakfast Club, Gleason played minor league ball before breaking into Hollywood. As a teenager, he worked with his father- a building contractor- on various sites & is believed this is where he came in contact with asbestos that eventually caused mesothelioma. STEVE McQueen (1930-1980): The King of Cool, iconic actor worked in his late teens & early 20s in Washington DC’s naval yard as a Marine. This is where he was likely exposed to asbestos. He also may have been put in danger by his hobby of car racing where he wore flame retardant suits made with asbestos, as was common at the time.

19. CONCLUSION This presentation has touched upon the basic aspects of disease, symptoms & treatment of asbestos. Not everyone exposed to asbestos, which is generally all of us, will develop an asbestos related disease. For some individuals, minimal exposures have shown a deleterious effect, while for others often for unknown reasons, a massive exposure over a lifetime did not show an apparent ill effect. From a viewpoint of protecting the health of individuals, exposure should be avoided. Over 50 countries in the world have banned asbestos. Such actions & further activities to find & use existing healthier alternatives would provide health protection.

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