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The Bronx
Workers and residents in the Bronx may have been exposed to asbestos at construction sites, in factories, and in the New York mass transit system.

Consolidated Edison
Many of the buildings owned by this company in New York housed mechanical equipment and insulation that contained asbestos.

In and Around New York City

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Brooklyn

Brooklyn represents New York's most populous borough. With a total population of over 2.5 million residents, Brooklyn actually used to be its own independent city prior to consolidation in 1898. Brooklyn was a thriving city on its own because of its unique location, which could provide port access to both New York City and New Jersey. While today it is technically part of New York City, Brooklyn maintains a cultural and architectural identity that is uniquely its own. Founded by immigrant populations from nearly every corner of the world, Brooklyn also has a very multicultural feel to it that cannot be found anywhere else in New York, or in the United States for that matter. Its origins as a port destination would imply that its earliest industries were shipping and transport based, which they were. However, these industries are typically accompanied by other industrial sectors such as railroads and power stations. It is unfortunate that just like many other early urban areas centered around the shipping industry that there has been a high incidence of exposure to asbestos in this and related industries.

Shipyards

The shipping industry was truly the foundation of the Brooklyn experience. The access that a Brooklyn port provided to the New York harbor and New Jersey was a major reason for this. Cargo would arrive from across the world to be processed through these shipyards. The Brooklyn Navy Yard was also an important naval vessel construction site, with thousands of ships being constructed on the premises of the now decommissioned shipyard. These factors assisted the New York harbor area in becoming the shipping capital of the world during the hey-day of sea-faring freight.

Shipyards, although important to the economies of emerging urban environments, also represent dangerous workplaces. Some of these dangers may be more obvious that others. One little known danger of shipyard labor is asbestos exposure. The shipping industry has long been associated with a liberal use of asbestos. There are very few aspects of ship construction that did not involve the use of asbestos at one time or another. While there is now a federal ban on nearly all asbestos use, older vessels still present a significant risk. Along with older vessels, foreign vessels which are not held to the same material standards as U.S. vessels, may also pose serious risks. While it is possible for those who sail these vessels to be exposed, it is more often the on-the-ground staff, those responsible for fixing, modernizing, or otherwise servicing these vessels, that are at particular risk. Asbestos was used in plumbing, electrical, and insulation installations within these vessels. Repair work or other servicing often means engaging with these materials in tight and poorly ventilated areas, a menacing cocktail for asbestos exposure. It is important for anyone working on older vessels to be aware of what sort of materials they are working with and what sort of safety precautions they are taking to prevent harmful exposure to asbestos material. For those who may have worked with asbestos materials already, it is important to monitor your respiratory health and ensure that no symptoms of chronic coughing or chest pains develop, which could be signs of a rare form of asbestos-caused cancer called mesothelioma.

Railroads

The New York City subway system also serves the borough of Brooklyn under the auspices of Metro North Rail, which operates the subway in other boroughs, as well as the Long Island Railroad. Millions of Brooklyn residents, like all New Yorkers, rely upon the subway each day to transport them in their daily commutes. It is important transportation for those who work in other parts of the city, and the nightmarish traffic that accompanies driving in the Big Apple.

While assuredly important to the function of a metropolis, subways and commuter rail lines have also been historically associated with a great deal of asbestos use. Many of the fixtures in these facilities are serviced very infrequently and must be protected against temperature extremes. Asbestos has remarkable insulation qualities and was used to insulate many fixtures in rail terminals and tunnels. These facilities require hundreds of miles of subterranean tunneling and infrastructure which can be dangerous places for those who service the trains and terminals of the Brooklyn subways. There have been reported incidents within Metro North Rail terminals of hazardous levels of asbestos exposure by unknowing employees who were simply fulfilling the duties of their jobs. While symptoms from asbestos exposure may not surface for many years, asbestos is a serious toxin linked to mesothelioma. Even though it has been federally banned since the late 1970's, asbestos is still commonly found in older buildings and facilities including Brooklyn's rail terminals and trains. Those who have worked in these areas could have been exposed to harmful levels of asbestos and should monitor their respiratory health for abnormalities.

Power Plants

Power Plants of New York City provide resources that we as a culture have come to require on a daily basis. The generation of energy is perhaps the single most important factor for urban areas, which are particularly handcuffed to energy supply. Consolidated Edison (Con Edison), is New York's largest energy provider and has supplied Brooklyn with energy since the middle of the 20th century. Con Edison has also been frequently tied to asbestos use in its power grid and related infrastructure.

Asbestos is useful in electrical and other energy fixtures because it is a good insulator, which can be important for electrical and gas fixtures, such as those at power plants. Even though asbestos use was outlawed in the late 1970's many products still contain asbestos installed prior to its federal ban. In power plant fixtures asbestos could be found almost anywhere insulation is required. For workers in power plants, it is important to recognize and appreciate all harmful materials that you may be working with. If there is a question as to the safety of a particular material, leave it alone and seek assistance in determining what the product is and what the safest way to handle it would be. Asbestos exposure can be extremely harmful, even resulting in life threatening illnesses such as mesothelioma, an asbestos induced cancer.

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