Asbestos is a term for a group of minerals made up of microscopic fibres. Asbestos exposure may result in breathing fibres in, which can cause some serious damage to your lungs in the short and long term. The intake of these fibres could also lead to a form of lung cancer called Mesothelioma.
Asbestos exposure in Everyday professions
Asbestos exposure normally takes place in jobs like construction work, firefighting, industrial and power plant work, etc. Information on such jobs can be found here.
Historical ‘glamourous’ professions
Performing arts
TV or theatre have historically dealt with special effects involving pyrotechnics or fire. Actors such as Charlie Chaplin would line their clothing with asbestos to protect them from the heat of the flames.
Little did they know that even the smallest amount of asbestos exposure could change their life forever.
Film sets put actors, comedians and dancers at risk also. For example – in The Wizard of Oz, the artificial snow used throughout the production contained asbestos.
Motor racing
In the 1960s, motor racing was a massive hobby at the time. Unfortunately, many deaths over the years can be attributed to racing. You may be thinking it’s mainly dangerous because of the possibility of a crash, and you would be right.
Crashing is the main risk factor, but a lesser-known risk was that the drivers put asbestos on their suits in case the car ignited, because asbestos is inflammable. An example of a victim of this hobby is the American actor Steve McQueen who lost his battle against the lung disease Mesothelioma.
Products: Make-up
The YouTube and Nickelodeon personality, Jojo Siwa, was horrified when she was notified about the recall of her make-up. The reason why this item was taken off the shelves is that it contained asbestos.
Jojo has given everybody that paid for this set a full refund. Read the full article relating to this, here.
Famous people exposed to asbestos
Merlin Olson was one of many famous victims of Mesothelioma. He was an actor, announcer and a football player, but believes he was exposed multiple times as a young boy on a construction site. He lost his battle in 2010 at the age of 69.
Another victim celeb is Donna Summer. Donna was a five-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and painter. This celebrity was diagnosed with lung cancer, but she knew that she had never smoked before. She believes that she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time when she visited New York after the 11th of September attacks, when the air was polluted with asbestos, mercury and lead. Donna lost her battle in 2012 at the age of 63.
The final celebrity I’m going to talk about is Warren Zevon. Warren was an American singer and songwriter who sang the song ‘Werewolves of London’. In 2002, he developed a chronic cough and experienced dizziness. Warren had a phobia of doctors and hadn’t been in years, but was convinced by his dentist and then later diagnosed with mesothelioma. He lived to see the release of his final album and the birth of his twin grandchildren. He lost his fight in 2003.
Other examples of celebrities who lost the battle against asbestos-related illnesses can be found here.
Did you know?
Asbestos can be found in old buildings and schools around the world. It is usually used as an insulator in lofts.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If you believe your asbestos-related diagnosis was caused by exposure throughout your working life, get in touch today for a free initial consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, email us, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help.
Article by Joseph Fieldhouse
