Asbestos Lap
Through the first seven decades of the twentieth century, asbestos was used in a plethora of different kinds of products. Recognized for its excellent heat resistant properties and for its strength, asbestos served to make all of these products last longer and provide better resistance to fire and high temperatures.
Asbestos lap was a felted asbestos product which contained a minimum of 75 percent asbestos fiber. Asbestos lap was often used to manufacture other asbestos products, such as ropes, cords, protective gear such as gloves and aprons, and a number of other items. Those most often exposed to asbestos lap were the individuals who worked in factories that made these products from the lap itself.
Just like any other product that contained a large amount of the dangerous mineral, asbestos lap could be toxic to those exposed to it. Asbestos fibers are thin and sharp and are easily inhaled by those working with the material. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers cannot be expelled in any way, so the fibers remain in the body. In some cases, nothing happens. The fibers stay in the chest area but cause no harm. But some individuals are more prone than others to developing asbestos-related diseases. For those people, the fibers cause inflammation, which stifles the work of the lungs. Often, the lining of the lungs becomes thick and scarred. The result of this scarring is chest pain and difficulty breathing.
Some individuals develop this scarring along with a disease known as asbestosis. For others, however, the scarring and inflammation becomes cancerous, resulting in a tumor known as mesothelioma. This cancer attacks the mesothelium, a membrane that forms the lining of several body cavities and includes the pleura, peritoneum, and the pericardium. The most common form of mesothelioma involves the pleura, the lining of the lungs. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is quite aggressive and very serious. Patients can be treated with conventional cancer therapies like chemo and radiation, but little can be done to halt the progress of the disease. The result is usually a quick and painful death for the mesothelioma patient.
Sadly, many cases of mesothelioma could have been avoided if workers who made products containing asbestos lap had been informed of the dangers of the toxic mineral. These workers, and others who manufactured myriad asbestos products, were never instructed to wear protective clothing while working with the material. Because of that, it was easy to inhale the dangerous fibers. One could argue that many years ago, no one knew just how dangerous asbestos really was, but records show that doctors and researchers were issuing warnings about asbestos as early as the 1920s, noting illnesses found among those who worked with the mineral on a daily basis.
Many company owners and executives knew about these warnings but did not pass them along to their employees. Instead, in the interest of maintaining profits, they allowed their employees to continue working with asbestos without benefit of any kind of protective gear, including masks or respirators. It wasn’t until the past few decades that investigations turned up proof that many companies were negligent when it came to protecting their employees. Now, courts of law are finally holding these individuals responsible for the death of many due to asbestos-related diseases.
Did you work in a factory that used asbestos lap to manufacture other asbestos-containing products? Have you developed mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos? If you’ve been sickened by this toxic mineral, you have legal rights. Check with an experienced asbestos litigator to find out if you are eligible for monetary compensation for your injuries. For more details, order our free mesothelioma information kit today.
Last modified: September 23 2008.
