Modern Firefighters and Asbestos Exposure

Posted by admin on May 22, 2010

Asbestos is a group of minerals that has a unique set of physical properties including tensile strength, durability, flexibility, sound absorption, and a resistance to heat, chemical, and electrical damage.  This combination of rare properties led to widespread use, even in ancient times.  As mass industry developed in the 1900’s, asbestos became a component of in a number of commercially available products.

Unfortunately, as many of us now know, asbestos is not the previously termed “magical mineral” but, in fact, a deadly carcinogen that has affected numerous occupations including firefighters.  Tiny asbestos fibers can be inhaled or swallowed and cause adverse health effects including malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

The nearly-indestructible nature of asbestos fibers is what makes them so harmful to the body. They can remain in lung tissue for a very long time and cause scarring, inflammation, and ultimately many of the health problems mentioned above.  Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that develops from the mesothelium, a protective lining covering many of the body’s internal organs.

Mesothelioma is almost always caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos.  Mesothelioma often takes from 15-40 years to develop and new diagnoses average around 2,000 cases per year.  Mesothelioma law is now a rather large industry because many of the asbestos manufacturers intentionally hid the dangerous nature of their product and exposure victims and their families are entitled to financial compensation.

Many Building Materials Contain Asbestos

As mentioned above, it is the rare set of physical properties that made asbestos so appealing as a component in many construction materials.  When the information concerning the health risks began to surface, asbestos was phased out of most commercial and industrial products, however the deadly mineral may still be present in many buildings constructed pre-1980.  This is because of the high cost of asbestos removal/abatement.

Asbestos-containing building products to be wary of include siding, shingles, roofing materials, insulation, joint compound, flooring, door gaskets, pipes, walls, patching, textured paint, and millboard.  In fact, it is estimated that up to 35 million U.S. homes may still contain Zonolite, an asbestos containing insulation commonly found in attics.

Asbestos Information for Firefighters

Firefighters can be exposed to numerous asbestos-containing construction materials when fighting fire, especially in structures built before the 1980s. A fire’s hot air currents can carry released asbestos fibers throughout an entire building.  The release of fibers can occur when cold water hits hot asbestos or structural failure causes asbestos-containing materials to break apart.

Fire also has the ability to cause non-friable asbestos products (products in which the asbestos fibers are not easily broken apart) to become friable.

Research has found that the presence of toxic chemicals such as PVC and asbestos can remain at dangerous levels even after fires have been extinguished. A simple dust mask and working quickly does not eliminate the dangers that can arise from exposure.

Firefighters wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) are better protected from fiber inhalation.  Many firefighters however remove their respiratory equipment after the fire is under control and begin to search through the debris for remaining embers.  This behavior has the potential to expose them to asbestos fibers floating in the air and should be avoided.

Tips for the Modern Firefighter to Prevent Exposure