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T-Bar Ceiling Tiles - Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

T-bar ceiling systems, often known as "suspended ceilings" and "drop ceilings" are ceiling systems that consist of a metal grid which holds lightweight tiles. If the T-bar ceiling system was put up earlier than 1980, there is a good chance that the T-bar ceiling tiles contain at least 1% asbestos fibers. T-bar ceiling tiles are an especially dangerous installation of asbestos, since they are often friable (can be crumbled by hand pressure alone), and may be lifted and removed easily, scattering asbestos containing dust into the rooms over which they are hung.

If you are considering removing or replacing tiles in a T-bar ceiling system that was originally hung before 1980, you should be aware that the original tiles - including tiles that may be stored on premises for replacing damaged ceiling tiles - probably contain asbestos. The only way to know for sure whether or not they contain asbestos above the 1% threshold that is set by the EPA is to have a sample tested by a professional. There is no way to tell by visual inspection.

If you worked installing drop ceilings in the 1950s to 1980, you were most likely exposed to high concentrations of asbestos dust in your work, particularly if you cut T-bar ceiling tiles to fit spaces in the grid layout. In addition, if you worked in remodeling or renovating through the early 1990s, and any of your jobs included replacing 1950s and 1960s era drop ceilings, or any drop ceilings installed before 1980, you may have been exposed to high concentrations of asbestos dust in the air while working. Finally, if you worked in such a profession and wore your work clothing home, your household members may also have been exposed to high concentrations of asbestos dust which you and they inhaled.

Inhaled and swallowed asbestos fibers are the only known cause of mesothelioma, a rare cancer that causes the thickening of the epithelial sacs around the lungs, or in rarer cases around the heart or the organs in the abdomen. This fine lining - usually one layer thick - is meant to lubricate and protect the organs that it covers, making sure that it moves freely when breathing or beating. Mesothelioma causes the epithelial cells to reproduce out of control, thickening the tissue and eventually strangling the organ that it is meant to protect. Nearly all cases of mesothelioma can be traced back to exposure to asbestos dust, either in the environment or in the workplace.

Because asbestos was so widely used in the construction industry, construction workers, especially those who worked in construction before 1980, face a five times greater chance of developing mesothelioma than the general population. In addition, anyone who worked with insulation, acoustic ceiling tiles, acoustic tiles, spray on insulation and decorative plaster may be at even greater risk than those who worked with building frameworks and carpentry.

Companies like Owens-Corning, Farber and other manufacturers of fiberglass insulating tiles and ceiling tiles often knew the hazards of working with their products, but chose to remain silent about them rather than risk their profits. Even worse, many of these companies actively conspired both internally and with others in the industry to hide the dangers from the public and from their employees, putting millions of people at risk of contracting a deadly, painful and debilitating disease.

Because of this history of deceit and neglect, the courts have often awarded large settlements to workers and others who developed mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos containing products. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact a lawyer who is familiar with the asbestos laws in your state.

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