Occupational:
Exposure to
asbestos fibers has been recognized as an occupational health hazard since the
early 20th century. Numerous epidemiological studies have associated
occupational exposure to asbestos with the development of pleural plaques,
diffuse pleural thickening, asbestosis, carcinoma of the lung and larynx,
gastrointestinal tumors, and diffuse malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and
peritoneum. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products,
including cement, brake linings, gaskets, roof shingles, flooring products,
textiles, and insulation.
Commercial
asbestos mining at Wittenoom, Western Australia, occurred between 1945 and
1966. A cohort study of miners employed at the mine reported that while no
deaths occurred within the first 10 years after crocidolite exposure, 85 deaths
attributable to mesothelioma had occurred by 1985. By 1994, 539 reported deaths
due to mesothelioma had been reported in Western Australia.
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