Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos exposure in the workplace
Asbestos is a generic, commercial name given to a fibrous variety of six naturally occurring minerals that have been used for decades in thousands of commercial products, including insulation and fireproofing materials, automotive brakes and textile products, and cement and wallboard materials.
The asbestos minerals have a tendency to separate into microscopic-size particles that can remain in the air and are easily inhaled. Although the use of asbestos and asbestos products has dramatically decreased, persons exposed occupationally to asbestos have developed several types of life-threatening diseases, including lung cancer.
Symptoms of Asbestos Exposure
Short-term exposure to asbestos can cause shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain, and irritation of the skin and mucous membranes. Long-term exposure can cause reduced pulmonary function, breathing difficulty, dry cough, broadening and thickening of the ends of the fingers, and bluish discoloration o the skin and mucous membranes. Chronic inhalation of asbestos has been known to produce cancers of the lungs, stomach, kidneys, liver or mammary glands.
How Concentra Can Help
Concentra can implement a systematic program of medical surveillance that monitors workers with potential exposure to asbestos in order to control or prevent exposure-related disease. The program includes education on asbestos-related hazards and prevention, worker placement recommendations in order to minimize exposure and risk, regular medical screenings to provide the earliest possible detection of adverse health effects, referral of workers for diagnostic confirmation and treatment, and systematic reporting.
