Larry H. Parker Personal Injury Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Many Americans believe that asbestos has been banned in the United States. In fact, although the use of asbestos has been restricted because of actions by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Agency, there are still many products that use asbestos being manufactured today. And in older homes and commercial buildings, many products still remain that used asbestos. No ban could require the removal of all existing asbestos products, so that occupants of older homes must be especially careful to avoid exposure to asbestos products.

Where are we being exposed to asbestos today? In our homes and commercial office space, there are many examples of products that expose us to asbestos. Going from outside to inside, roof felt and shingles, window putty, and cement asbestos board siding all contained asbestos. Insulation, both vermiculite and bath insulation, may contain asbestos. Vinyl flooring may have contained asbestos, and homeowners have been warned for years not to remove vinyl without a determination as to whether it is asbestos flooring. Textured paint and sprayed-on ceilings may contain asbestos. Blankets for boilers and water heaters, gaskets and duct lining may contain asbestos. Recessed lighting, insulation for wiring, fuse boxes and outlets may also have asbestos.

Appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, range hoods, clothes dryers, dishwashers, toasters, portable heaters, and hair dryers may contain asbestos. In the garage, brake linings, gaskets, and clutch facings contain asbestos.

Efforts to remove asbestos-containing insulation from schools and some office buildings have received a great deal of publicity over the last several years. Pipes were wrapped in blanket-type insulation that contained asbestos, and as the insulation deteriorated with age, the asbestos escaped, exposing teachers, students, and workers. Older homes often have the same type of insulation around their pipes, and homeowners have long been cautioned not to attempt to remove the insulation without an asbestos removal team.

There remain a great many asbestos-related products in our daily lives, in our workplace, our schools, and our homes.

This article has been provided by the experienced asbestos attorneys at The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, 800-333-0000, http://www.mesotheliomaasbestoslitigation.com/.

We also help people with personal injury litigation throughout all of California and Arizona with offices in Long Beach, Los Angeles, Riverside, Bakersfield, Fresno, Phoenix, and Tucson.