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How Can a Janitor Get Mesothelioma by Occupational Exposure to Asbestos?
Because asbestos is affordable, durable and versatile, it was used to construct many buildings, including hospitals, schools and office buildings where janitors work. Buildings built before the 1980s often contained asbestos products in various construction materials, including drywall, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, pipe insulation and boilers. Janitors who worked in areas where these materials were exposed or had become deteriorated could have been exposed to asbestos through their job.
When asbestos is disturbed through repair or renovation work, it is friable and can break off into small airborne particles that are inhaled or ingested by those nearby. This often occurs when sanding, renovation or removal work is completed. After this work is completed, janitors may be sent in to clean the area and may be exposed to these cancer-causing airborne fibers.
Additionally, some janitors are required to complete some maintenance activities, such as repairing leaky faucets, patching holes in walls, or making repairs to loose electrical wires. Asbestos was often contained in these materials, including in joint compound, mortar mix, pipe insulation and electrical wire insulation. Additionally, some janitors are responsible for monitoring buildings’ heating and cooling system. Many HVAC workers have developed mesothelioma due to asbestos being included in many of these systems’ components.
Common job duties of janitors include:
- Gather and empty trash
- Clean bathrooms
- Stock supplies in bathrooms and other locations
- Order cleaning supplies
- Sweep, vacuum and mop floors
- Clean spills and other hazards
- Wash windows and glass
- Wax floors
- Mow lawns
- Sweep walkways
- Remove snow
- Make minor building repairs such as minor electrical or plumbing problems
- Notify building supervisors when a major repair is necessary
- Use cleaning tools like floor buffers and vacuums
Locations in the United States for the Highest Employment Rates for Janitors
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 2,404,400 janitors currently employed in the United States. States with the highest employment rates for janitors include:
- California
- New York
- Texas
- Florida
- Pennsylvania
Similar Occupations as Janitors
Similar occupations as janitors include:
- Building superintendents
- Cleaners
- Grounds maintenance workers
- Housekeepers
- Maids
- Maintenance workers
- Pest control workers
Lawsuits and Settlements Involving Janitors and Mesothelioma
One of the most prominent locations where janitors work is in school buildings. A federal lawsuit was filed in Detroit alleging that Dearborn Heights School covered up asbestos contamination in two of its schools after a school janitor reported that necessary changes had not been made after OSHA made a report regarding the presence of asbestos in the building. The janitor and others were required to dry sand tiles that contained asbestos. According to the OSHA report, the janitor’s boss falsified the original asbestos report and did not provide training or protective gear to workers. Janitors who develop occupational diseases like mesothelioma may be able to file workers’ compensation claims or personal injury claims.
A number of schools have been found to have asbestos, leading to potential claims. A 2016 study found that only 11 out of 184 elementary, middle and high schools complied with recommendations related to asbestos. West of Chicago, a former high school was demolished with hopes to renovate it into condos. It had been vacant for several years. However, the plans were halted when investigators discovered cancer-causing materials on site, including asbestos.
A school in Hartford, Connecticut had to close for two days in 2017 after contractors exposed asbestos insulation while completing renovation work. An investigation of a school in Philadelphia found 10.7 million asbestos fibers in one sixth grade classroom in Philadelphia after a building engineer stripped insulation from a steam pipe. Three Huntington Beach elementary schools had to close in 2014 due to possible asbestos contamination.
Studies Related to Asbestos in Schools
The Journal Times reported that janitors are at a greater risk of developing mesothelioma than the general population.
Types of Asbestos Products Used by Janitors
Janitors may have come into asbestos-containing products, such as:
- Floor tiles
- Plaster
- Vinyl flooring
- Vinyl backing and glue
- Wallboard
- Paint
- Popcorn ceiling textural coating
- Ceiling tiles
- Boiler insulation
- Pipe wrap insulation
- Duct work for heating and cooling systems
- Air duct insulation
- Cement sheets
Manufacturers of Products Used by Janitors
Janitors may have been exposed to asbestos from products made by the following manufacturers:
- P. Green Industries
- Baldwin-Ehret-Hill
- Federal Mogul Corporation
- Fibreboard Corp.
- Fisher Scientific Company
- Flintkote
- Forty-Eight Insulations
- GAF-Ruberoid
- General Refractories Company
- Georgia Pacific Corporation
- Hamilton Materials, Inc.
- Johns-Manville
- Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc.
- Kelly-Moore Paint Company
- H. Detrick Company
- Montello, Inc.
- National Gypsum Company
- Owens Corning
- Owens-Illinois
- Philip Carey Company
- Plibrico Company
- Sherwin-Williams Paint Company
- Synkoloid Company
- Union Carbide Corporation
- S. Gypsum Company
- R. Grace & Co.
- Zurn Industries, Inc.
