Sailors and the Risk of Asbestos-Related Cancer

Richard A. Lemen and Philip J. Landrigan
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Richard A. Lemen: United States Public Health Service (Retired), Rockville, MD 20852, USA
Philip J. Landrigan: Collegium Ramazzini, 41012 Carpi, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-14

Abstract: Sailors have long been known to experience high rates of injury, disease, and premature death. Many studies have shown asbestos-related diseases among shipyard workers, but few have examined the epidemiology of asbestos-related disease and death among asbestos-exposed sailors serving on ships at sea. Chrysotile and amphibole asbestos were used extensively in ship construction for insulation, joiner bulkhead systems, pipe coverings, boilers, machinery parts, bulkhead panels, and many other uses, and asbestos-containing ships are still in service. Sailors are at high risk of exposure to shipboard asbestos, because unlike shipyard workers and other occupationally exposed groups, sailors both work and live at their worksite, making asbestos standards and permissible exposure limits (PELs). based on an 8-h workday inadequate to protect their health elevated risks of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers have been observed among sailors through epidemiologic studies. We review these studies here.

Keywords: asbestos; cancer; lung; mesothelioma; exposure; permissible exposure limit (PEL); pleural; seamen; seafarers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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