An estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant work related asbestos exposure. The heaviest exposures occur in the construction industry, particularly during the removal of asbestos during renovation or demolition. Employees are also likely to be exposed during the manufacture of asbestos products (such as textiles, friction products, insulation, and other building materials) and during automotive brake and clutch repair work.

Asbestos is well recognized as a health hazard and is highly regulated. OSHA and EPA asbestos rules are intertwined. The BNL program follows both OSHA and EPA guidelines as appropriate. Asbestos exposures are responsible for at least three types of diseases including: Asbestosis, Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer.

Asbestosis a scarring of the lung tissue, which, is a slowly progressive disease with a latency period of 15 to 30 years. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleural lining. Lung Cancer is a malignant tumor of the bronchi covering.

 
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Last Modified: March 16, 2012
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DOE, Office of Science One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

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