People are often surprised at how lung conditions are caused by exposures in the workplace. These conditions fall into the category of occupational lung disease and is caused by prolonged exposure to harmful toxic particles that mix with the air and penetrate into the lungs of workers.
According to the American Lung Association, there are two major categories of occupational lung diseases: non-specific occupation disease and lung disease linked to a specific profession. Specific non-occupation diseases are conditions that can be aggravated at work such as asthma. lung conditions related to a particular profession means the occupation of the person is the sole cause of the disease, such as pneumoconiosis (black lung) or mesothelioma of a coal worker.
Mesothelioma is considered an occupational lung disease; the majority of people suffering from mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos at work. Some of the occupations related to asbestos exposure include:
- Mechanical Service
- military
- Plumbing
- pipefitters / Steamfitters
- factory workers
- mechanical engineers
- minors
- firefighters
- Electricians
- the more
mesothelioma as an occupational lung disease
despite being regulated by the Environmental protection Agency (EPA), the use of asbestos continued into the 70s and, in some cases beyond. Mesothelioma has a long latency period. So many workers exposed to asbestos fibers decades ago may just now begin to notice symptoms of mesothelioma.
thousandsThe firm has represented people with mesothelioma. Between 1999 and 05, approximately 18,000 mesothelioma deaths were reported. The American Lung Association says the deaths were 81 percent male, 95 percent were white.
In the context of Month lung health , please help us educate mesothelioma. Share this Article or other you'll find on mesothelioma and lung disease. You can also learn about other professions and asbestos exposure now on our website.
