Mesothelioma risk among power plant workers are high, study says

Mesothelioma risk among power plant workers are high

Mesothelioma was likely to develop among power plant workers who are constantly exposed to large amounts of asbestos, a new study revealed.

Researchers monitored 8,632 power plant workers in Germany who were exposed to asbestos coming from insulation materials used in turbines. Up to 94 percent were exposed for an average duration of 20 to 21 years, the study said.

Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma, a rare and deadly type of lung cancer. The substance is used to insulate equipment and wires from the heat generated inside power plants.

Unlike other developed countries, the United States has yet to enforce a complete ban on asbestos despite mounting evidence that it causes many health problems including mesothelioma.

In the study, dust samples taken inside power plants contained chrysotile fibers which are toxic forms of asbestos. When inhaled, the dust causes inflammation which can trigger mesothelioma.

The disease can take several years for symptoms to manifest but once diagnosed patients have a poor prognosis. Mesothelioma symptoms include shortness of breath, weight loss, chest pain and fluid build-up in the lungs. Radiation, chemotherapy and surgery are the treatment options.

Most sufferers of this lung disease are workers who have been exposed to asbestos in their work places. For the German study, it was learned that 82 percent of power plant workers did not have enough effective safety precautions against dust inhalation. Workers were not provided with enough personal protective equipment and their work areas had poor ventilation.

The study authors concluded that power plant workers, both active and retired, were one of the most at-risk groups of people in inhaling deadly asbestos fibers and were likely to develop mesothelioma.

Posted by George Daniels on Sunday February 13 2011, 1:52 AM EST. Ref: Asbestos. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0