Asbestos use in office buildings makes office buildings a potential source of asbestos-related diseases. In constructing office buildings, contractors often sprayed asbestos fireproofing onto structural members that were later hidden from view by dropped ceilings. Asbestos was also routinely used to insulate pipes and boilers. Additionally, builders of office towers sprayed asbestos on the underside of steel flooring decks. Furthermore, the asbestos can be disturbed by interior alterations - even work as simple as running a new telephone line. Once the asbestos is disturbed, asbestos exposure can result.
Mesothelioma & Asbestosis Mortalities Across the US: 1979-2001 (c/o EWG)
“We have seen first-hand how asbestos has wreaked havoc on Americans working in naval shipyards, automobile plants, and the construction industry. Most often this is through their employers’ conscious choice for profits over a worker's health.”
-- Joseph Patrick Williams, a trial attorney in the Asbestos Litigation department of Weitz & Luxenberg
Learn about asbestos uses in hospital buildings