Textile Operator

A textile operator undertakes several functions in a textile mill, including processing of raw material into yarn, which in turn is converted into cloth. Asbestos used to be a poplar choice for raw material, as it is the only natural mineral consisting of fibers allowing easy conversion into cloth. Although available in various forms, chrysotile asbestos, containing the longest fibers, was usually used for textile making. The textile operators separate individual fibers, have them carded, processed into yarn, and eventually woven into textiles.

Abundant Use of Asbestos in Textile Mills

A majority of textile mills in and around the United States manufactured textiles that were partially or even completely made from asbestos. The practice was common until the mid 1970s, when incidents of contamination forced several mills to discontinue operations. While some of the mills were completely shut down, others attempted to restructure by removing asbestos contamination. This process seldom operated at optimum efficiency, an example being the abandonment of a South Carolina mill in the late 1970s, with actual demolition and decontamination not happening before 2004.

Recent Studies

A number of recent studies have established beyond doubt the impact of asbestos contamination on textile operators. A study conducted in England proved that textile operators had 300 times the level of asbestos in their lungs when compared with the rest of the population. Given the medically accepted carcinogenic nature of asbestos, this study establishes the increased probability of textile operators developing cancer. An asbestos-employing textile mill in England recorded asbestos related complications in about 8 percent of its employees. Similar studies have established that approximately 2 percent of textile operators directly or indirectly in contact with asbestos develop mesothelioma.

On-the-job Risks

It is accepted that almost all occupations come with at least some risk of job-related injuries. Still, in today's society, we have come to expect that job-related dangers will be minimized, risks will be clearly explained, and employers will attempt to maintain a safe work environment. Sadly, even in recent history, this was not always the case when it came to exposure to asbestos, and employees were placed in situations that put their health at risk.

The Kinds of Asbestos and How They Affect Health

There are two major kinds of asbestos. The most frequently utilized was chrysotile, or serpentine asbestos. This is a fairly soft form that is not normally associated with asbestos cancer or mesothelioma. However, if inhaled, serpentine fibers can result in abrasions on the inner surfaces of the lungs. This in turn results in an accumulation of scar tissue that can then be a major factor in the development of asbestosis.

Amphibole asbestos is the other group and is much more dangerous. Pleural mesothelioma, a rare and frequently lethal disease affecting the mesothelium (the tissue that lies between the lungs and the pleural cavity), has been shown to be linked with exposure to asbestos, particularly the amphibole varieties. Less common types of mesothelioma include peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma; these diseases are also linked with extensive contact with amphibole asbestos.

The Strengths of Asbestos

Given what we know today, it is ironic that asbestos was utilized in constructing homes and in manufacturing numerous products because of its ability to save lives. When it comes to withstanding fire and high temperature, not many substances can equal asbestos, particularly chrysotile. In addition, amphibole asbestos had other useful properties. For instance, amosite, also known as "brown" asbestos, has a high iron content, making it resistant to caustic chemicals. "Blue" asbestos, or crocidolite, was generally used around electrical equipment since it is highly resistant to electricity. Depending on the application, various types of fibers were combined to create asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that could protect people against flames, extreme temperatures, electrocution and chemical burns.

As a rule, new items formed from asbestos were innocuous if the asbestos fibers were trapped in something solid. However, when ACMs got older, they were prone to becoming friable, or able to be reduced to powder by hand pressure alone. When they are friable, asbestos fibers are readily dispersed into the atmosphere, where they can be easily drunk or breathed in and thereby cause diseases. Unfortunately, it wasn't just textile operators who were in danger; secondary exposure often happened when people brought asbestos dust home on their skin, in their hair or on their clothing.

The Ticking Bomb

In contrast to typical work-related injuries, which are readily observed and known about immediately following the incident, asbestos-related diseases can take ten, twenty, or even thirty years to manifest. The symptoms of mesothelioma and asbestosis - pain in the chest or abdomen, breathlessness and a chronic cough - may often be confused with the symptoms of other disorders. Mesothelioma radiation and other experimental treatments are being discovered, and early detection gives patients the highest probability of beating the notoriously low mesothelioma survival rate. Hence, it is vital for all that worked as textile operators, and those who resided with them, to notify their physicians about the chance of asbestos exposure.

Sources

Asbestos Institute - ASBESTOS TEXTILE MANUFACTURE
http://asbestos-institute.ca/safemanual/section5/section5e.html

Bowker, Michael. Fatal Deception: The Untold Story of Asbestos (New York: Touchstone, 2003)

Environmental News Service - Textile Mill Loaded with Asbestos Debris to Be Demolished
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmens/is_200410/ai_n8608683

Hebden Bridge Web - Asbestos: the legacy of Acre Mill
http://www.hebdenbridge.co.uk/features/acremill.html

Mt. Sinai Medical Center - Asbestos FAQ
http://www.mssm.edu/cpm/wtc_health/asbestos_faq.shtml

University of Wisconsin - Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) - Laboratories and Shops
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/EHSRM/ASB/acmimages3.html

University of Wisconsin - Asbestos Disposal
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/EHSRM/HAZEXCEPTIONS/a.html

J C Wagner, G Berry and F D Pooley - Mesotheliomas and asbestos type in asbestos textile workers: a study of lung contents
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1499413