Nearly any adult in Louisiana remembers the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall and wreaked havoc through this state in 2005. It’s hard to believe that was more than 15 years ago when so many New Orleans residents lost their homes and businesses were wiped out. One danger many of those who helped with the enormous storm cleanup after Hurricane Katrina and significant storms since then is asbestos exposure.
Asbestos exposure during storm cleanup efforts
Volunteers and construction workers who cleanup storm damage get exposed to asbestos in the following ways:
· When cleaning up asbestos-cement pipe and sheeting
· When removing drywall and ceilings with spray-on coatings
· When removing floor tile and roofing materials
· When removing insulation
· When removing certain types of siding
That’s why if you are removing storm damage, you should wear an N95 mask or respirator to reduce your exposure to asbestos. If you have to remove materials that could contain asbestos, you should wet those materials down, to reduce the chances fibers with asbestos will fill the air around you. You also should never burn materials that may contain asbestos and consult your local landfill before disposing of materials that may contain asbestos.
Why asbestos exposure is so dangerous
Asbestos exposure is dangerous because asbestos fibers can gather in your lungs and create health problems down the road. Repeated exposure to asbestos can increase your chances of lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis (a condition that also impacts your lungs).
Getting help when diagnosed with an illness related to asbestos exposure
If you discover you have mesothelioma or lung cancer and feel that may be a result of your construction job cleanup work or from working to remove storm damage, you need to consult an attorney. You may be able to recoup some of your care costs and receive other compensation for you and your family.
When facing a serious illness related to asbestos exposure, you have a tough road ahead. You may feel angry that more wasn’t done to prevent you from suffering asbestos exposure and later contracting a deadly illness. You have a right to seek justice amid a difficult situation.