Electricians and Asbestos Exposure
Electrical trades were highly susceptible to asbestos exposure during its peak use. Asbestos was considered a perfect substance to use in manufacturing electrical products.
It’s lightweight, stable and an excellent insulator for thermal transfer of heat and cold. Asbestos also has neutral conductivity, making it the ideal insulator for coating electrical wires.
Over the course of seven decades, multiple generations of electricians worked in asbestos-filled environments. Many electricians developed mesothelioma. It is only caused by inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers.
How Electricians Were Exposed to Asbestos
Electricians worked with large quantities of airborne asbestos fibers at all types of job sites. This exposure occurred from the 1920s when many building products contained asbestos and were present where electricians worked.
Many electricians worked on construction, maintenance, repair, and renovation sites. Their work required them to cut through asbestos-insulated wires and walls stuffed with asbestos.
Electricians Disturbed Asbestos Fibers
Every time they handled asbestos materials, electricians sent tiny fibers airborne. Workers who inhaled these dangerous fibers could later suffer from life-threatening health problems.