Few people in South Carolina may be able to imagine a life without motor vehicles. People use their cars for commuting to work, traveling for entertainment and much, much more. Although for some people driving and riding in vehicles is just another fixture of daily life, those who work and perform routine maintenance on those cars could be deadly. An investigation revealed that workers in the auto industry are frequent victims of asbestos exposure.

An out-of-state newspaper recently assessed safety information at various repair shops in different major metropolitan areas. The results were disheartening, as 75% of businesses that regularly perform brake and clutch repairs have high levels of asbestos fibers in the air. One study showed that people who work on brakes compared to other vehicle components have much higher concentrations of asbestos fibers in their lungs. Asbestos fibers do not break down and stay in the lungs forever.

The same investigation also documented that the dust found in all garages and repair shops were comprised of asbestos levels ranging from 2.26% to 63.8%. In most work spaces, cleaning can actually make the problem worse. These asbestos levels are perhaps just one of the many reasons why one out of every 10 auto workers is at a high risk for developing an asbestos-related disease, illness or cancer.

South Carolina auto workers may not realize that they are at risk for developing an asbestos-related disease. No matter which industry an individual works in or whether he or she was aware of the risk for asbestos exposure, developing a deadly disease can be physically, emotionally and financially traumatizing. In order to ease the burden these damages cause, a victim might consider taking action that, if successful, can achieve necessary compensation for documented monetary damages.