Disaster relief workers may suffer asbestos exposure when they respond to the scene of a natural or other disaster. Disaster relief workers, including:

• search and rescue teams
• emergency medical service personnel such as EMTs, doctors and nurses
• firefighters
• police officers and other law enforcement personnel
• soldier
• volunteers
• Red Cross workers
• construction and clean-up workers

— take on the very difficult task of providing help and relief to the residents and/or people working in a disaster area. They're at the scene of a disaster as soon as possible — sometimes even while the disaster is still in progress, after events such as:

• earthquake
• wildfire
• terrorist attack
• hurricane
• tornado
• other severe weather

Asbestos in Buildings and More

Disasters wreak havoc on the physical environment, including the buildings and other structures in the area (e.g., bridges, street lights, railways). The asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that are widely present in buildings and structures that were erected before the 1980s may become damaged in the disaster — torn, broken, scratched, even removed completely from their locations.

The Risk of Inhaling Asbestos Fibers

If ACMs in the disaster area have released tiny fibers of asbestos into the air, disaster relief workers may inadvertently inhale some of the fibers, starting an asbestos disease process. The asbestos fibers can become lodged in the lungs and at other internal sites, resulting in lung cancer, mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium), and asbestosis. Although disaster relief workers should be wearing protective respirators and other safety equipment, sometimes that doesn't happen.

Learn More about Disaster Relief Workers and Asbestos Exposure

We can tell you more about the consequences of asbestos exposure, whether for disaster relief workers or people who have been through a disaster as a resident or while on the job. Contact us online today to arrange an appointment and discuss your circumstances.