Custodians file suit against UNLV

John T. Giordano, 54, and Gerald Babcock,63, noticed shortness of breath and a lack of endurance after working as custodians at UNLV.

The men have been diagnosed with asbestosis, an incurable scarring of the lung tissue known to cause shortness of breath and persistent coughing. It can lead to cancer such as mesothelioma, a cancer only caused by asbestos exposure.

Giordano, now retired, filed in November a District Court lawsuit against UNLV alleging the institution knowingly allowed workers to clean asbestos fibers without proper safety equipment or training, according to the Review-Journal. About 40 plaintiffs have now joined the suit, the custodians' attorney told the R-J.