Electricians

Electricians are responsible for providing electricity to buildings, structures, and campuses, such as residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, as well as retail complexes and sports arenas. In a building situation, the electrician brings all the wiring and additional hardware into the building necessary for providing it with electricity. In a campus scenario, electricians work in conjunction with the local power company to coordinate the installation on the campus as well as the on-site buildings and structures.

In the United States, an individual interested in becoming an electrician must go through some schooling as well as on-the-job training. An electrician must gain experience before being able to perform work unattended by a supervisor. The first step that an electrician must complete is an apprenticeship. This step can last for a few years and entail schooling while working through the apprenticeship. While an apprentice, the electrician is supervised by Journeyman Electrician and a Master Electrician. There are also multiple unions available for an electrician to become a member. A few unions that are available to electricians include the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as well as the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine, and Furniture Workers.

As of 2006, electricians held over 700,000 jobs. This number is expected to significantly increase over the next ten years. Certain industries are expecting growth over the next few years which will help this growth which include the power industry and technology industry. Many electricians can already attest to how the installation of computers and communications equipment has grown their business.

Electricians have been exposed to asbestos on numerous occasions. One major part of an electrician's job is to pull wiring and install electrical equipment in walls and ceilings. The contents in these walls and ceilings could potentially contain asbestos. Many building products have been known to contain asbestos, the contaminant causing mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung diseases. An electrician could come into contact with these building products while installing wiring and other electrical hardware. For example, an electrician might have to run wiring inside ceiling tiles. These ceiling tiles could potentially have been manufactured with asbestos. While working around the asbestos product, the electrician might cause dust from the tile and be exposed to asbestos fibers released into the air. The asbestos dust might also become trapped on the electrician's clothing and unknowingly transported to unsuspecting family and friends.

While asbestos containing ceiling tiles represent one threat to electricians, there are many other building products that cause a threat to asbestos exposure. Insulation, piping, and concrete products all could contain asbestos and be present in an electrician's workspace. Installing electrical wiring and other hardware is not always an easy job and modifications to all these potential asbestos containing products. When these modifications are made, asbestos fibers could potentially be released and pose a threat to the electrician.

There have been ample examples of electricians bringing litigation in response to an exposure to asbestos. In 2007, an electrician in California settled a case for an asbestos exposure for over $2 million dollars. Another California case resulted in a settlement for an electrician exposed to asbestos of over $30 million dollars. A family of a New Jersey electrician exposed to asbestos brought litigation against multiple defendants. A New York electrician was awarded close to $20 million after his numerous exposures to asbestos.

An electrician's exposure to asbestos can come during new construction or renovations. Electricians are always busy in our surrounding area of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. It is imperative for electricians to understand the risks of asbestos containing building materials and to exercise the utmost cautions when working around these products. If you or a loved one is an electrician that may have been exposed to asbestos, be sure to seek medical attention. Also be sure to contact an experienced asbestos attorney to understand your legal rights.