Asbestos Exposure Poses a Risk to Plumbers

Like many other maintenance professionals, plumbers are disproportionately burdened by the risk of asbestos exposure.From the middle of the 20th century to the late 1970s, many pipes, ducts, tanks, boilers, pumps, valves, and other building products across the United States contained significant and dangerous amounts of asbestos, used for insulation purposes. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Regulation, most occupational exposures to asbestos today occur during the repair, renovation, removal, or maintenance of these asbestos-containing materials and products that were installed decades ago.For plumbers — particularly those who do not wear protective gear — asbestos exposure may