England's Industrial North Has Nation's Highest Rate of Mesothelioma

The north of Britain —the area associated with coal mines and shipyards—has the highest rate of mesothelioma, the incurable cancer associated with asbestos exposure, new government statistics show. The death rate for males rose to 89.5 deaths per million people from 2005 to 2007, according to statistics from the Health and Safety Executive.

Mesothelioma is caused by inhaling microscopic fragments of asbestos which lodge in the lungs. Asbestos exposure often occurred in industrial settings or areas near where asbestos was mined or used in manufacturing, and the disease typically doesn't appear for 30 to 40 years.

Nationally, 2,156 people died of mesothelioma in Britain in 2007, an increase of 5 percent from the previous year. More than 35,000 people died of the disease from 1977 to 2007.

Widow of Mesothelioma Victim Speaks Out

Trafford, England—Elaine Haskins, 59, is making public her husband's struggle with mesothelioma in order to promote widespread awareness of this silent killer.

Hugh Haskins, who had worked for years as a builder, was exposed to asbestos on the job and eventually contracted mesothelioma as a result. Haskins died in 2005 at the age of 66.

Says Elaine Haskins, "My husband never should have died."

Haskins was never given any kind of protective clothing or respirator to keep him from inhaling the asbestos fibers during the course of his labor. This led to the development of mesothelioma, a particularly destructive form of cancer whose only known cause is asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma can linger within the body for years without becoming evident. By the time it is eventually diagnosed, it has usually reached such an advanced stage that it is virtually untreatable. There is no cure for mesothelioma.

As part of the British Health and Safety Executive's "Hidden Killer" campaign, which was launched this month, Elaine Haskins is speaking out to urge tradesmen and their families to make themselves aware of the dangers of exposure to asbestos. While there is no known safe level of asbestos exposure, the likelihood of contracting mesothelioma later in life increases with continued or repeated exposure. The disease is usually an occupational one, since asbestos was so widely used in various industries, especially in the mid-twentieth century. Yet there have been some cases reported that are traceable back to secondhand exposure, usually in caregivers or children of asbestos workers.

Asbestos is considered Britain's biggest industrial killer, and takes 4,000 lives each year – more than the number of Britons that die in automobile accidents.

A radio campaign and a palliative care seminar in Manchester will be among the other events hosted in conjuction with the "Hidden Killer" campaign sponsored by the Health and Safety Executive

Mesothelioma-causing asbestos removed from Indiana site

In Kokomo, Indiana, the cleanup of a site that was once rife with environmental hazards and carcinogenic materials is nearing completion. The project aimed to clean up the former site of Continental Steel, which went bankrupt in 1986.

In 1990, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the United States Environmental Protection Agency planned a joint cleanup effort. It is expected that the area will be completely cleaned up by 2011, and will be used as a park area.

"Hopefully that will transpire and give us something we can be very proud of," said Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight.

Materials removed included PCBs, lead, and asbestos, a carcinogen linked to mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive type of cancer that affects thousands of new patients each year in the United States. Chemotherapy and other treatments can help some patients, but sadly many patients lose their battle with mesothelioma within two years of being told that they have the disease.

The cleanup project is now in the home stretch thanks in part to nearly $6 million in federal stimulus funding.

"Over a period of many years we've been getting incremental funding to do the work," said Sharon Jaffess of the EPA. "Now with the stimulus money we're able to come in and get all the rest of it done quickly."

"We're actually very excited that we received this stimulus money," said Jessica Fliss, a project manager for the cleanup effort. "Because it would allow us to complete more of the work and put more land into productive reuse in the community."

Military Veterans Linked to Mesothelioma & Asbestosis

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs stated that out of the millions of veterans who have served the country, hundreds of thousands have been exposed to asbestos during their service. Veterans were exposed to asbestos while working on naval vessels where asbestos was used as the main form of insulation.

Used by every military branch in the United States, over 300 products containing asbestos were used by the Navy and other military sectors from the 1930s through the 1970s. Products containing asbestos were utilized due to its fire and heat resistant qualities. The mineral frequently appeared as insulation for ships, aircraft, vehicles and buildings.

Shipyard workers, sailors and tradesman aboard these ships were wrongfully exposed aboard navigation rooms, sleeping quarters and mess halls.  Asbestos was so valued that its use was not phased out by the military until the 1970s.

In 1983, the Navy Asbestos Control Program was created to help facilitate compliance with asbestos-related regulations set by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Despite these actions, many veterans continued to be exposed to high levels of asbestos even after the Navy began to replace contaminated ships.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, officials discovered that the number of deaths relating to asbestos exposure steadily increased between 1999 and 2005. Approximately 30 percent of those diagnosed with mesothelioma are veterans.

Mesothelioma and asbestosis are rare illnesses caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported every year in the United States alone, while 10,000 are reported worldwide. Mesothelioma develops in the mesothelium, the thin layer of tissue that lines the area around the heart, chest cavity and the abdominal cavity, as well as the outer surface of most organs. Due to the fact many symptoms of mesothelioma mimic those of less serious conditions; diagnosis of mesothelioma is a difficult task.

Although mesothelioma is an aggressive disease, many veterans have found themselves living a long life, even with the illness. Those who served decades ago are beginning to demonstrate symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses, which can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to develop.

For more information on veteran asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, please visit the Mesothelioma Center.

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This entry was posted on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Jobsite Exposure, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.

Jury Assesses a $10.2 Million Verdict for Retired Washington Paper Mill Worker Suffering from Mesothelioma

 

A former Washington paper mill worker, diagnosed with mesothelioma after years of asbestos exposure, was assessed a $10.2 million verdict. In trial, it was demonstrated that the defendants defective asbestos containing products were a contributing cause to his asbestos cancer.

(PRWEB) November 20, 2009 -- On Wednesday, November 19, 2009, after three days of deliberations, a federal jury in Seattle, Washington, found in favor of Henry Barabin, a retired Crown Zellerbach Paper Mill worker suffering from mesothelioma. Mr. Barabin and his wife, Geraldine, were represented by James P. Nevin and Cameron O. Carter of Brayton Purcell LLP.

The trial against Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc. and AstenJohnson Inc., two former manufacturers of asbestos-containing dryer fabrics used on paper machines, centered around the issues of products liability design defect, products liability failure to warn, and negligence. The jury determined that both Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc. and AstenJohnson Inc.'s asbestos-containing dryer fabrics were defectively designed, defective for failure to include any warning of hazards, and that both defendants were negligent.

The jury assessed $700,000.00 in economic damages for medical expenses, loss of household services and loss of future income, $8,000,000.00 in non-economic damages and $1,500,000.00 for Mrs. Barabin's loss of consortium. Under applicable Washington law, both defendants are jointly liable for the full amount of the verdict.

Workplace Asbestos Exposure the Cause of Mesothelioma     Mr. Barabin worked as a laborer at the Texaco Refinery in Port Arthur Texas from 1964-1968. From 1968 to 2001, he worked at the Crown Zellerbach paper mill in Camas, Washington as a pulp tester, paper tester, spare hand, fifth hand, fourth hand, third hand, winderman, and filterman. He retied in 2001, and moved to Sun City, Florida. In 2006, Mr. Barabin was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos caused cancer of the pleura, the organ that protects the lungs. Since diagnosis, he has undergone surgery, fluid drainage, pleuraldesis, three rounds of chemotherapy, and many imaging tests during his battle with this fatal disease.

During his career at the plant from 1968 until he transferred to a newly constructed building in 1984, Mr. Barabin was exposed to dust released from the asbestos-containing dryer fabrics during normal operation, handling, replacement, disposal, and clean up. In addition to simply being present on a daily basis in the contaminated plant, one of Mr. Barabin's jobs was to clean out the paper machine's dryer fabrics on a daily basis, during maintenance and dryer fabric replacement shutdowns. All these activities exposed Mr. Barabin to asbestos dust from Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc. and AstenJohnson Inc. products as well as other point sources.

Defendants Maintain Products Were Safe, Evidence at Trial Showed Otherwise

Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc. and AstenJohnson Inc. supplied asbestos-containing dryer fabrics without warning of any hazard for use on the paper machines at the Camas, WA plant up until 1980, when they ceased putting asbestos in the fabrics. Both defendants claimed that their products did not release asbestos because they were often wet and that the asbestos was encapsulated within the material. They contended their products were safe and did not require any warnings.

At trial, plaintiffs presented evidence demonstrating that when used as intended, hazardous levels of respirable asbestos dust was released from Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc. and AstenJohnson Inc.'s asbestos containing dryer fabrics.

By 1968, it was firmly established in medicine and science that asbestos dust caused asbestosis, pleural disease, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Yet, Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc. and AstenJohnson Inc. supplied their defective asbestos containing fabrics without any testing or warnings. Plaintiffs demonstrated that asbestos dust from both defendants' products contributed to cause Mr. Barabin's mesothelioma.

"When Henry Barabin was working around this deadly material, he had no idea that it could one day cause him to develop a fatal cancer. The jury appreciated that wet or dry, new or used, resin treated or not, open or closed weave, that the dryer fabrics released asbestos dust, which contributed to the total dose of asbestos that Mr. Barabin breathed, causing his mesothelioma and his pending premature death." said James P. Nevin, counsel for Henry and Geraldine Barabin.

Defendant Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc. was represented by Lane Young, Elizabeth O'Neil, and Christopher Collier of Hawkins & Parnell LLP, and Lisa Williams and Jane Kirkwood of Williams Kastner LLP. AstenJohnson Inc. was represented at trial by Forrest Ren Wilkes of Foreman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy LLP, and Bill Shaw and Martha Rodriguez Lopez of K&L Gates LLP.

The trial began on October 26, 2009 and was presided over by Chief United States District Court Judge Robert S. Lasnik in Department 15128 of the United States District Court, Western District of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Case No.C 07-01454-RSL). The jury was empaneled, opening statements were presented, and the jury heard all the evidence. Closing summations were given on November 16, 2009 and the jury reached its verdict on November 19, 2009.

Henry & Geraldine Barabin. v. Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc. & AstenJohnson, Inc. United States District Court, Western District of Washington, Seattle, Washington Case No. C07-1454RSL

Mesothelioma News Today Joins the EIN News Network

November 19, 2009 /EIN News/ -- EIN News, an online leader in industry news monitoring and press syndication, has today added a new publication to its portfolio of health-related international news sites for industry professionals and analysts: Mesothelioma News Today. (http://mesothelioma.einnews.com)

Delivering the latest news and research on asbestos cancer from around the world, Mesothelioma News Today searches beyond the headlines to bring to its subscribers the headlines others push to the back pages. At Mesothelioma News Today, members can read news updates relating to mesothelioma treatment, symptoms, and prevention, types of mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos, legal issues related to the disease and more.

Located at http://mesothelioma.einnews.com, the site joins EIN News' stable of cancer publications, which include Breast Cancer, Brain Cancer, Prostate Cancer and Lung Cancer News Today. EIN News uses its unique, proprietary search technology, which combines news aggregation and the human editorial element, to gather for its members the latest, hard-to-find news from English-language news sources around the world, including research institutions.

Thousands of industry professionals and government institutions rely on EIN News for their daily information needs, and each new membership to the EIN News service comes with a one-week, no-obligation free trial. To see a full list of EIN Publications, please visit http://www.einnews.com/news_publications.php.

About EIN Presswire
The EIN Presswire press release distribution service (http://www.einpresswire.com) is a news-syndication solution that distributes news to more than 10 million visitors annually at EIN News and millions more through its press release distribution partners. A news source for leading journalists, decision-makers and industry professionals worldwide, EIN Presswire targets press releases to a wide array of worldwide business professionals in more than 80 different industries. EIN Presswire also offers affiliate network opportunities and news distribution to tens of thousands of news subscribers daily. Read the newest business news at http://www.einpresswire.com and the latest world news in more than 80 different industries

Mesothelioma News Today Delivers the Latest Asbestos Cancer Treatment and Research News

WASHINGTON, Nov 18, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- /EIN News/ EIN News, an online leader in industry news monitoring and press syndication, has today added a new publication to its portfolio of health-related international news sites for industry professionals and analysts: Mesothelioma News Today (http://mesothelioma.einnews.com).

 

Delivering the latest news and research on asbestos cancer from around the world, Mesothelioma News Today searches beyond the headlines to bring to its subscribers the headlines others push to the back pages. At Mesothelioma News Today, members can read news updates relating to mesothelioma treatment, symptoms, and prevention, types of mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos, legal issues related to the disease and more.

Located at http://mesothelioma.einnews.com, the site joins EIN News' stable of cancer publications, which include Breast Cancer, Brain Cancer, Prostate Cancer and Lung Cancer News Today. EIN News uses its unique, proprietary search technology, which combines news aggregation and the human editorial element, to gather for its members the latest, hard-to-find news from English-language news sources around the world, including research institutions.

Thousands of industry professionals and government institutions rely on EIN News for their daily information needs, and each new membership to the EIN News service comes with a one-week, no-obligation free trial. To see a full list of EIN Publications, please visit http://www.einnews.com/news_publications.php.

For a free trial to Mesothelioma News Today, go to: http://mesothelioma.einnews.com/users/register.php.

About the publisher of Mesothelioma News Today, EIN News, http://www.einnews.com/.

EIN News was established in 1995, and through the years has built more than 200,000 news feeds organized within over 80 individual news sites. The company has launched the well-known 'Russia News Service' brand and opened Internet news access to China with 'Inside China Today.' Offering a unique combination of human editing and proprietary scanning software, EIN News won Europe's coveted Momentum Award as the most innovative internet company on the continent. Serving thousands of customers daily, the company distributes its feeds via email or mobile news alerts, online and other channels such as Newsfeed Maker (http://www.newsfeedmaker.com/) and offers press release services via EIN Presswire (http://www.einpresswire.com/).

Contact: EIN News press@einnews.com Tel: +1 202 657 5158 Fax: +1 202 478 2767 http://www.einnews.com/ SOURCE EIN News http://www.einnews.com/