"This isn't a profession for a young man to go into," says David Buechler, a Sawyer, North Dakota carpet installer who has been laying carpet for twenty-fie years. "I don't know any other carpet layers whose health isn't affected by the job in some way."

Buechler experiences a number of adverse symptoms when he works with carpet. "The fibers and the chemicals affect your lungs and your sinuses," he says. "Every time I lay carpet I sound like I have a cold by the end of the day. I get hoarse, shortness of breath, and my sinuses clog up. I get sinus infections on a regular basis. Also, my doctors attribute the arthritis I developed to inhaling the fumes from the carpet glues."

He adds, "Cancer, especially lung cancer, is a big concern. I know of about eight carpet layers in my area that were laying carpet when I started out, who have all died of lung cancer. They never made it to retirement."

Insurance companies are aware of the risks, according to Buechler. "It's hard to get life insurance if you're a carpet installer, he states. "And they require a really tough physical for medical insurance if they find out you lay carpet. I have also been told that if I hire a young guy to work for me I need to get a release signed so that if he's laying carpet and comes down with cancer years down the road, I won't be held responsible."

Some of Buechler's customers have had adverse health effects from carpet. He now regularly cautions new customers to stay away during installation, to keep off the carpet for several days during the initial high off gas period, and to ensure the house is continuously ventilated. He voices concern that some carpets appear to be more toxic than others, and he advises people not to take any chances if their carpet causes chronic health problems. He would rather see someone remove their carpet than have serious long-term consequences. Buechler says he has found that some people who react to one carpet may not react to another.