Most people are aware that certain professions are more at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases than others. This is mostly due to the nature of their workspaces, which are likely to contain high amounts of asbestos. For instance, persons working in shipbuilding, construction and railroads are very prone to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
However, another, perhaps more surprising group is quite prone to asbestos-related diseases: teachers. According to Asbestos Nation, teachers are twice as likely to die from mesothelioma as compared to other groups of Americans.
Why is this?
Construction companies built nearly half of functioning schools in the United States before 1980, which is when the government and the public became fully aware of the dangers that asbestos presents. Even though it is now 30 years later, the EPA has stated that asbestos in school buildings is a significant risk to the public, though how much of a risk is still unknown.
What is the actual death rate for teachers?
Even though the teacher death rate due to mesothelioma is only half that suffered by construction workers, it is still higher than those in other commonly-affected industries like chemical companies or railroads. The government has said that teachers in elementary and secondary schools are the 10th most common workplaces with asbestos victims, which puts teachers on par with electric power plant workers.
Essentially, working in America’s school systems is much more hazardous than many people anticipate. Constant vigilance and political action is necessary in order to ensure that America’s schools are safe for all of those within, both teachers and students.
