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How Can a Police Officer Get Mesothelioma by Occupational Exposure to Asbestos?
Police officers respond to emergency and non-emergency calls regarding the commission of crimes or dangerous events. First responders including police officers may come in contact with asbestos when they enter old buildings that are burning or facing other threats. Because of this exposure, police officers and other first responders have a higher than average chance of being exposed to asbestos when they respond to fires, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, floods and other disasters and dangerous events.
Asbestos was once contained in thousands of materials used to construct buildings, including insulation, drywall, joint compound, mortar, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, paint and roofing materials. Asbestos was cheap and durable, so it was used in many applications. While relatively safe when undisturbed, this material can release dangerous microscopic fibers when it is disturbed due to burning, deterioration or other disruption. Police officers and other first responders can breathe in these airborne fibers. Once the fibers enter the body, there is no way to expel them, which can lead to significant health conditions over time, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases.
One well-known example of police officers and other first responders’ exposure to asbestos was the September 11 terrorist attacks. After the attacks on the World Trade Center, police officers and other first responders rushed to the scene. A toxic plume of dust and debris that contained 2,000 tons of asbestos spread over Ground Zero where many police officers and other first responders were at risk of inhaling this dangerous air. In addition to facing dangers from the environment itself, these workers were also at risk due to the invisible threat.
Even if police officers did not go into dangerous terrorist attack sites, they may have been exposed to asbestos in their very own buildings. Many police stations and other city buildings were constructed before the 1980s and were made with a variety of asbestos-containing materials to which police officers may have been exposed.
Locations in the United States for the Highest Employment Rates for Police Officers
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 808,700 police officers employed in the United States. States with the highest employment rates for police officers include:
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Illinois
Similar Occupations as Police Officers
Occupations that are similar to police officers include the following:
- Bailiffs and correctional officers
- Emergency management directors
- EMTs and paramedics
- Fire inspectors
- Firefighters
- Forensic science technicians
- Private detectives and investigators
- Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
- Security guards and gaming surveillance officers
Lawsuits and Settlements Involving Police Officers and Mesothelioma
There have been several lawsuits and legal claims regarding police officers and other first responders and their exposure to asbestos. The wife of a former policeman filed a lawsuit after her husband was diagnosed with an industrial disease in 2009 and later died from it. Her husband had worked around asbestos, including clearing a room in the police station in the 1970s that was full of the material and in another station where asbestos was removed. Her husband developed mesothelioma allegedly due to this exposure.
In another situation in 2012, police officers on Capital Hill were endangered by an asbestos abatement. The union representing the police force filed a complaint with the Office of Compliance for failing to warn or protect its police officers during a three-month asbestos abatement project that affected them. Police officers were stationed in subway tunnels during this project without any safety equipment.
Thousands of first responders have filed claims and received compensation after the 9/11 attack.
Studies Related to Police Officers and Asbestos
There have been several studies related to asbestos exposure and first responders. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health published a study in 2013 involving 30,000 firefighters. Researchers concluded that firefighters’ cancer risk was much higher than that of other occupations and their risk of mesothelioma was twice that of the general public. Other first responders have a similar risk when responding to emergencies where damaged asbestos is present.
Several studies have also shown a link between first responders and increased risks of cancer, COPD, asthma, PTSD and other health issues following the 9/11 attacks. Because mesothelioma has a long latency period, experts predict that mesothelioma diagnoses for first responders of 9/11 will peak between 2021 and 2041. Additionally, a study by Medical Affairs at the New York City Fire Department showed that among 5,000 rescue workers involved in the study of first responders at the 9/11 attacks, all demonstrated some type of lung impairment after the attack.
Types of Asbestos Products Used by Police Officers
Police officers could have been exposed to asbestos from damaged products that contained asbestos, including:
- Crockpots
- Hair dryers
- Ceiling tiles
- Insulation
- Siding
- Drywall
- Shingles
- Plaster
- Paint
- Roofing materials
Manufacturers of Asbestos Products Used by Police Officers
John Crane, Johns Manville, W.R. Grace & Co. and Owens-Illinois are just a few manufacturers of asbestos products that police officers could have been exposed to.
