Government Workers Get Doctor for Asbestos

Article Added September 13th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story

After it was discovered that government employees were exposed to high levels of asbestos while contracted, the Architect of the Capitol has hired a physician specifically to monitor their conditions.

Dr. James Allen has been hired by the Public Health Service to monitor 10 workers due to asbestos exposure. While that may seem normal, the workers were exposed during contract work on the underground utility tunnels under the nation’s capitol. The workers were hired to work on the tunnels, which supply water and steam for the buildings in Washington D.C., and to perform renovations on the structure.

The employees realized they had been repeatedly exposed to asbestos when the material was found during the renovations. The doctor has been contracted to observe and treat the workers, including monitoring chest x-rays and the progression of current medical conditions. Asbestos exposure can lead to many different conditions including asbestosis and emphysema. Perhaps the most worrying of conditions is mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer that results from asbestos being inhaled into the lungs and lodging there. While the government is monitoring the workers, mesothelioma can often times take years to manifest. The doctor is also authorized to monitor the families of the workers, since asbestos fibers can cling to clothing and be spread in that way.

Article Added September 13th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story