Could Asbestos Mesothelioma Be in Their Future?

July 17, 2009

Baton Rouge, LA The trick to preventing Asbestos mesothelioma is not to be exposed to something that causes mesothelioma cancer in the first place. It is only recently that the link between mesothelioma and cancer has risen to the top of the public conscience. However, the dangers of asbestos are today well known, so it's surprising that allegations of asbestos exposure continue to surface in this enlightened era.



According to an account appearing in The Advocate June 24th and reproduced on 2theadvocate.com, a trio of Baton Rouge companies is alleged to have failed to protect workers during a renovation in the workplace.



According to the source, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced proposed fines of $112,000 against Louisiana Health Care Consultants LLC, Dean Building Holdings and Bob Dean Enterprises Inc. in relation to 13 alleged violations of health and safety regulations.



According to the report all of the affected workers were located in the State National Life Building at the office of Bob Dean, located at 343 Third Street in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.



According to OSHA the affected workers were not informed that a ceiling in their work area, which was being removed, contained asbestos. OSHA also alleged that the three firms involved failed to use engineering controls to minimize exposure and failed to ensure employees used personal protective equipment during the renovation.



"Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma," says the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at its Web site. According to the Advocate, which quoted the site mesothelioma is an extremely rare cancer that strikes approximately 2,000 people in the United States each year.



According to NCI a history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70, to 80 percent of all cases.



About 20 individuals working at the State National Life Building in Baton Rouge are thought to be at risk.



OSHA revealed in the Advocate report that one of the companies, Dean Building Holdings of Baton Rouge, owns the property in which the renovations took place. All three companies were given 15 days to respond. It is not known what the response was.



What is known is that asbestos exposure is generally regarded as the largest, single cause of Asbestos Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma cancer can lie dormant in the body for up to 30 years following exposure before it reveals itself. Mesothelioma and cancer can embrace not only exposed workers, but their families as well.