Putting the Brakes on Asbestos
Hard to believe that after all we know about the dangers of asbestos, exposure to this toxic mineral still occurs and thousands this year in the United States alone, some of whom will be brake and clutch repair mechanics, will be diagnosed with mesothelioma, a fatal cancer caused by asbestos. Last, year, Washington took action to reduce the use of toxic materials, including asbestos, in automotive brake pads, shoes, and clutches.
Many think that the use of asbestos has been banned in the United States, but not so. Asbestos continued to be added to brakes and clutches long past the 1980’s, millions of older model cars contain asbestos parts, and asbestos clutch linings, brake pads and shoes can still be found in the aftermarket. This puts professional as well as home mechanics at risk of deadly exposure which decades later can develop into mesothelioma and other serious asbestos related diseases.
There really is no way for a mechanic to know whether brake pads and shoes or clutch linings have asbestos as regulations do not require labeling and there is no way to know just by looking. Therefore, all precautions ought to be taken by anyone, professional or not, who is working with brakes and clutches. Both the Environmental Protection Agency and OSHA have online information and brochures specifically for mechanics that list the best and safest practices to follow to prevent exposure to asbestos.
To find out more about Washington’s Better Brakes Rule, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) who is overseeing the implementation of the law, is offering two public workshops this month, on in-person and the other online. The workshops are intended to explain the major provisions of the Better Brakes Law and how it should be implemented. Although the law mostly affects brake manufacturers, brake pad distributors, retailers and installers are also encouraged to attend.
The first workshop, in-person, occurs January 26, 2012 in Tukwila, Washington and the online workshop takes place on January 31. Click here to register.
Laws like this are often frowned upon by those in the automobile industry because of fear of the economical impact. However, as mesothelioma attorneys in business for more than 30 years, we have seen our fair share of brake mechanics die from asbestos cancers- deaths that could have been avoided. In light of this, we support the Better Brakes Law as well as all legislation that would protect workers and the general public from lethal exposure to asbestos.
