Sawyers

History and Background

The term "sawyer" is actually an old-fashioned name that refers to someone who works with a saw, comparable to a specialized carpenter. Prior to the twentieth century a sawyer mainly created wood planks out of logs and was often hired to work on new homes and small construction projects. Since the early 1900s, with the advancement in technology, there has been a break between sawyer and carpenter. A carpenter has become someone who specializes in working with wood, while a sawyer is now someone who works with stone. These men and women are the ones who saw stone pieces, concrete slabs, and asbestos-cement sheets and pipes so that they can be used in construction projects.

Tasks Putting Sawyers at Risk for Asbestos Exposure

Throughout the mid to late twentieth century sawyers regularly risked exposure to the dangerous mineral asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral that was widely used in construction because it is extremely strong and also heat and fire resistant. Once its fibers become airborne it can be very dangerous if it is inhaled, as discussed below. The basic description of the work performed by sawyers consists of sawing and cutting pieces of stone, concrete slabs and asbestos-cement sheets and pipes. That is actually how it is listed, so there is little denial of the fact that sawyers worked with asbestos.

Sawyers mainly use and operate gang saws, reciprocating saws, circular saws and wire saws in working with the stone slabs and concrete and asbestos sheets. They would risk exposure to harmful asbestos dust while cutting these latter pieces as the saws would throw dust into the air creating a potentially hazardous work environment. There have been recent regulations and safety precautions including running water over the stone in order to decrease the amount of dust created, but there is still a serious health risk. Prior to these dangers becoming known, many sawyers would work without respirators or masks, thus breathing in the dust created through their work. Even with proper safety precautions there is a chance of exposure to harmful asbestos dust.

The use of asbestos in construction projects has been limited for the past couple of decades. However, it was used extensively in most buildings that were created prior to the regulations imposed in the 1970s and 1980s. Construction projects involving the demolition or remodeling of an older structure can lead to exposure to asbestos dust as older products containing the mineral are removed and discarded.

Sawyers At Risk to Develop Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos Diseases

Those who worked in the Sawyer trade were unknowingly exposed to asbestos while on the job. As a result, they were not advised to take proper precautions while working with the harmful substance and are now at risk of developing pleural mesothelioma or another asbestos related illness. The only known cause of mesothelioma, a cancer for which there is currently no cure, is exposure to asbestos. If you or a loved one worked in the Sawyer trade it may be helpful to see a doctor periodically to check for signs of serious lung problems resulting from on-the-job asbestos exposure.