Asbestos Occupations

Asbestos-related diseases typically have延迟期限spanning decades. This means individuals exposed while working in the past may now face adverse health effects.

Workers at some jobsites may continue to face exposure risks. Those currently exposed to asbestos on the job may not be diagnosed with a disease for several more decades.

没有数量的石棉暴露是安全的，许多工人可能会在工作中遇到石棉。但是，某些职业历史上有石棉暴露的高风险。

02.高风险职业

高风险石棉职业

Several industries put workers at high risk for asbestos exposure. High-risk occupations for asbestos exposure include shipbuilding, construction, oil refining and more. At-risk occupations include workers who produced, installed or removedasbestos products。Those who performed maintenance on asbestos-containing machinery also risked exposure. First responders, such as firefighters, are also among the most at risk of asbestos exposure.

Individuals in high-risk occupations may repeatedly experience concentrated asbestos exposure at work. This puts these workers at a higher risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, such as mesothelioma.

飞机力学

Aircraft mechanics may have experienced asbestos exposure while servicing various aircraft systems. Asbestos was most commonly found in brake and landing gear systems. Some aircraft brake types contained up to 23% asbestos by weight. As a result, mechanics working around these systems may have been exposed to asbestos.

Auto Mechanics

Auto mechanics may have come into contact with asbestos while servicing cars and replacing parts. Asbestos was frequently used in high-friction materials, such as brakes, clutches and heat shields. Replacing these parts requires removing the old components, which could release asbestos dust. As a result, auto mechanics may have inhaled asbestos fibers. These professionals may still come into contact with asbestos in older vehicles.

Construction Workers

The CDC notes employees in the construction industry are among those with the highest rates of asbestos exposure. An estimated 1.3 million construction workers come into contact with asbestos on the job each year. Construction workers often work inside older buildings and房屋。这些结构使用矿物质来耐火性和耐用性。Floor and ceiling tiles，联合化合物，壁板和石膏都是常见的含石棉的建筑产品。

Firefighters

消防员是与石棉纤维接触的最可能的。消防员之间的石棉暴露在1980年之前建造的房屋和建筑物中战斗时发生。这些结构通常包含许多不同的石棉产品。常见的石棉产品包括绝缘，平铺和屋顶材料。研究表明，与公众相比，消防员发展间皮瘤的可能性是两倍。万博专业版风险的增加很大程度上是由于反应紧急情况的反复暴露。

HVAC工人

HVAC的工人，锅炉制造商和管道手有时都在使用石棉的狭窄空间中工作。这些工人可能会冒着在公共建筑，住宅和大型锅炉内工作的风险。在执行维护工作或装置时，该行业的工人可能会暴露于高浓度的机载石棉纤维。HVAC工人在修复几十年前安装的使用石棉材料的锅炉时也可能有风险暴露。

工业工人

These workers are often employed in factories and power plants, working in areas where high heat and chemical exposure are common. Workers may come into contact with asbestos while handling refractory products, gaskets and valves. Even protective clothing worn to resist high temperatures often contained asbestos. Because of the mineral’s prevalence in the workplace, many industrial workers are at risk of developing mesothelioma.

Insulators

Insulators were exposed to asbestos in many types of insulation products. These materials contained asbestos from the mid-1860s through about 1978. As a result, thousands of insulators have been exposed to asbestos. Today, insulators may still come into contact with asbestos insulation in older homes, schools, buildings, ships and/or machinery. Insulators exposed to asbestos risk developing an asbestos-related illness.

Machine Operators

Machine operators work in factories and plants and often operate heavy equipment, such as bulldozers and cranes. Workers in these jobs frequently came in contact with high-friction asbestos products, such as brake linings. As machine operators perform their daily duties, asbestos fibers may release into the air. Airborne fibers may be ingested or inhaled. This exposure can lead to mesothelioma,asbestosisand other asbestos-related diseases.

Machinists

Machinists use tools and machinery to make industrial parts. For many years, asbestos was added to machinery to improve durability. Machinists may have come in contact with asbestos at a variety of jobsites, such as on ships. They often worked in poorly ventilated boiler and engine rooms. Working conditions caused many machinists to experience asbestos exposure. Machinists may still risk exposure from old asbestos products.

Mechanics

Aircraft, heavy equipment and auto mechanics come into contact with asbestos primarily while performing brake jobs. Maintenance and other tasks involving friction parts could also cause exposure. Most manufacturers have stopped producing asbestos-containing brake parts. However, mechanics may still be exposed to the mineral while working on an older vehicle. Imported automotive products may also still contain asbestos.

地雷工人

矿工可能吸入石棉矿物during the mining and packaging process. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was mined for decades in the 20th century. Workers in these mines experienced daily asbestos exposure. Studies show asbestos mine workers have extremely elevated rates of lung cancer and mesothelioma. Asbestos products may also have been used in other types of mines, such as coal mines.

Oil Refinery Workers

Oil or petroleum refinery workers help process the fuels and oils Americans use every day. These workers often encounter asbestos inside of old electrical products, cement, protective clothing and thermal insulation. Research has shown workers in this industry typically face prolonged asbestos exposure. As a result, oil refinery workers have one of the highest mesothelioma mortality rates.

Shipyard Workers

造船厂工人经常在建造和修理船只时使用含石棉的材料。由于海上船只的风险构成风险，因此几乎可以在船上的任何地方找到石棉材料。例如，船经常有asbestos insulation，管盖和阀门。由于矿物质的广泛使用，造船厂工人是患有间皮瘤和其他石棉疾病的最大风险。万博专业版

教师

教师可能已经接触到学校的石棉。石棉经常在1980年之前建造的学校中使用。一些记录表明，该国几乎三分之一的学校可能是用石棉产品建造的。随着学校建筑的年龄，较旧的石棉材料已经开始腐烂并释放纤维。结果，教师可能会经历石棉的曝光。

纺织厂工人

Textile mill workers were often responsible for making, cutting and handling fabrics. Workers may have been exposed to asbestos while making asbestos fabrics. Studies show increased incidences of mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis in textile mill workers compared to the general population.

03.中风险职业

中风险石棉职业

Medium or moderate at-risk asbestos occupations include workers who have infrequent asbestos exposure and/or face a moderate concentration of asbestos fibers. Some occupations with a moderate risk of asbestos exposure include Merchant Mariners, metal workers and railroad workers.

尽管这些职业可能每天都不适合石棉，但重要的是要注意没有安全水平的石棉曝光水平。中后期，中等风险的个体可能仍会在以后的生活中患上与石棉有关的疾病。

Boiler Workers

锅炉工人在制造，安装，维修和维修锅炉时可能已经与石棉接触。石棉经常用于锅炉和其他HVAC设备的许多组件中。矿物用于承受这些系统的高温。

Carpenters

木匠可能已经与石棉建筑材料接触。许多建筑产品都包含矿物质，包括隔热，瓷砖和底层。在建设和翻新项目中，木匠可能已经接触到这些产品。尽管今天很少使用矿产，但在较老的房屋和建筑物工作时，木匠仍会风险暴露于石棉产品。

水泥植物工人

Cement plant workers are responsible for mixing cement and manufacturing cement products. Asbestos fibers were added to many cement products for durability and temperature resistance. Cement workers may have been exposed to asbestos while mixing the cement or forming it into sheets and blocks.

Chemical Plant Workers

化学工厂工人可能已经与设备和机械中的石棉组件接触。石棉用于化学植物中，用于化学耐用性和耐热性。化学植物暴露的常见来源包括防护设备，水泥，管道绝缘和锅炉。

电工

电工负责安装，维护和维修电气系统。这项工作使电工与各种石棉产品接触。矿物质在1980年之前经常在电气板，布线绝缘和其他常见的建筑产品中使用。石棉用于绝缘和温度抗性。与石棉接触的电工可能患有石棉疾病，包括间皮瘤。万博专业版

First Responders

在救援任务或灾难响应工作中，急救人员可能会与石棉接触。石棉经常用于1980年之前生产的建筑材料。自然灾害和其他灾难可能破坏建筑物并引起这些纤维的释放。结果，急救人员可能有石棉暴露的风险。

商人水手

商人水手are associated with theU.S. Navy并花很多时间在船上。在第二次世界大战期间，许多商人水手在进行维修和其他维护方面暴露于石棉。可以在整个船只中找到矿物，尤其是在锅炉和发动机室中，由于这些区域产生的热量。由于石棉的暴露率很高，一项对3,000名商人水手的研究发现了约40％的工人肺部异常。

Metal Workers

Asbestos was often sprayed on metal beams for fire resistance and attached to metal materials bent, drilled and shaped by metal workers. The mineral was also found in welding rods used by welders and in the plaster that lathers sanded. Metal workers could also face exposure from asbestos in protective clothing, including inside gloves and毯子。

Paper Mill Workers

Asbestos was used in paper mills during the pulp-drying process. Paper mills used石棉感觉to assist in the high-temperature drying process. Workers who oversaw these processes or serviced the drying equipment may have come into contact with asbestos fibers.

Plumbers

水管工，管道翼型和蒸汽蒸汽可能会经历管道系统和其他材料的石棉暴露。管道，阀门和其他管道产品通常含有石棉。矿物用于使管道系统具有耐热和腐蚀性。水管工在房屋，建筑物和工业地点维护和维修管道。广泛的使用使水暖行业的个人面临患与石棉相关疾病的风险。在1980年之前建造的建筑物中工作时，水管工继续冒险。

Railroad Workers

Asbestos was widely used throughout much of the 20th century in the railroad industry. It can be found in everything from flooring inside of train cars to brake pads, rail ties and steam engines. Railroad workers may also face exposure from naturally occurring asbestos while digging new rail lines.

04. Low-Risk Occupations

Low-Risk Asbestos Occupations

Low-risk asbestos occupations include workers with:

• Bystander asbestos exposure
• 最小直接石棉暴露
• 暴露于石棉纤维的低浓度

低风险的石棉职业包括工程师，农民和美发师。与其他职业相比，低风险职业的工人可能患有石棉有关疾病的可能性较小。但是，没有多少石棉暴露是安全的。这些工人在职业石棉暴露后仍可能会经历与石棉有关的诊断。

Appliance Installers

设备安装人员和技术人员可能已经接触到家用电器中的石棉。这些专业人员可能已经与房屋和建筑物中的设备组件或建筑材料中的石棉接触。大多数制造商不再在其产品中使用石棉。但是，设备安装程序仍可能与含有石棉的旧材料接触。

Chimney Sweeps

Chimney sweeps are often exposed to lung irritants, including asbestos. The mineral was often used in building insulation and pipes, which may be exposed in chimneys. As a result, chimney sweeps may come into contact with asbestos while cleaning and servicing chimneys. These individuals have also reported a higher incidence of pleural diseases, including mesothelioma.

Engineers

Engineers are employed in a variety of industries. They often don’t work directly with asbestos or asbestos-containing products. However, engineers may supervise and work closely with employees who do interact with the mineral. Oftentimes, engineers’ exposure is connected to working in the same area as employees who are handling asbestos materials. Because of this, engineers may be near dust created on the jobsite.

农民

The farming industry has shown high rates of asbestos exposure. Asbestos affects dairy farmers, poultry farmers, agricultural equipment operators and many other farming trades. Exposure has occurred during operation and repairs of farming equipment with asbestos-containing components. Farmers also risk exposure from the deterioration and renovation of old farm buildings. Some farmers may work near naturally occurring asbestos, which could cause exposure when land is disturbed.

美发师

理发师在接触wi的风险th asbestos fibers through prolonged and frequent use of older hair dryers. These hair dryers often contained the mineral as an insulator. Asbestos is no longer used in hair dryers today. But studies have shown older hair dryers produced before the late 1970s did release fibers into the surrounding air.

05. Asbestos Regulations

Federal Asbestos Regulations to Protect Workers

To protect the workforce, there arefederal regulations可以在工作中管理石棉曝光。

职业安全与健康管理局（OSHA）在1970年代首次调节工作场所石棉暴露。如今，OSHA有严格的指导方针，涉及工作岗位可接受的空降石棉纤维。OSHA指南还需要在Jobsite上标记所有石棉，并且工人获得适当的个人防护设备。

The occupations listed above are only a few of the many types of workers at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases. OSHA reports stress there is no safe level of occupational asbestos exposure. Those who believe they’ve experienced asbestos exposure at work should seek medical attention and file a complaint with OSHA.