Mesothelioma Prevention

How Can I Prevent Mesothelioma?

The key to preventing mesothelioma is taking precautions to avoid asbestos exposure. Inhaling asbestos fibers is this cancer’s primary cause. Because avoiding asbestos products isn’t always possible, following safety guidelines can help protect you from inhaling asbestos fibers.

Malignant mesothelioma can take 20 to 60 years to develop from the initial exposure. Asbestos exposure can also cause lung cancer and asbestosis. Asbestos-contaminated talc has also been linked to ovarian cancer.

Ways to Prevent Asbestos Exposure

• Asbestos awareness can help prevent exposure. Knowing what products may contain the toxic mineral can help people avoid disturbing them.
• Hire a certified professional to check for asbestos before demolition or renovation work in older homes and other structures.
• If an inspection determines there is asbestos present, hire a certified asbestos professional for removal to ensure everyone’s safety.
• If you handle asbestos-containing products for work, follow all safety guidelines such as wearing protective gear and removing contaminated uniforms properly.

Legacy asbestos products remain in the older buildings where we work, serve in the military, learn and live. Asbestos was widely used in construction materials before the 1980s. Old asbestos products can easily release asbestos fibers when disturbed. Asbestos can also still be found in automotive brakes, gaskets used in the oil industry and industrial equipment people encounter at work.

Managing asbestos exposure at work can help prevent mesothelioma. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration oversees employee exposure to asbestos and has been regulating asbestos since 1972. 

How to Prevent Mesothelioma Risk in the Workplace

Following OSHA guidelines can help prevent the risk of mesothelioma in the workplace. OSHA outlines standards for general industry (29 CFR 1910.1001), construction (29 CFR 1926.1101) and shipyards (29 CFR 1915.1001). OSHA standards require employers to develop a plan to minimize asbestos exposure and outline an employee training program.

If your workplace isn’t taking proper steps to prevent harmful workplace exposures, you can report these unsafe work conditions to OSHA. It’s illegal for employers to retaliate against workers for reporting safety concerns. OSHA’s whistleblower protection program defends workers against firing, demotion or harassment. You can also file an OSHA report anonymously.

How Employees Can Prevent Asbestos Exposure at Work 

• Air monitoring: Check asbestos fiber levels often. This is important when work might disturb materials that contain asbestos.
• Avoid disturbance: Don’t cut, drill, sand or disturb asbestos-containing materials unless necessary. Only do this when following approved safety procedures and protective measures.
• Emergency preparedness: Create a response plan for accidental asbestos release or disturbance.
• Follow regulations and guidelines: OSHA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set rules for workplaces, schools and public buildings.
• Identify and assess asbestos risks: Hire certified experts to check the workplace for asbestos.
• Participate in asbestos awareness training: All employees who may come into contact with asbestos-containing materials should be trained.
• Recordkeeping: Maintain records of exposure levels, training, inspections and any asbestos abatement work.
• Restricted areas: Limit access to areas contaminated with asbestos to trained and authorized personnel only.
• Safe removal procedures: Only licensed asbestos abatement professionals should handle asbestos removal.
• Signage and labels: Mark areas with asbestos and label asbestos-containing materials accordingly.
• Use protective measures: Workers must wear personal protective equipment. This includes approved respirators, disposable coveralls, gloves and eye protection.

Peritoneal mesothelioma survivor Epifanio Figueroa tells us he came into contact with asbestos at several of his jobs. He says he believes insufficient awareness about asbestos hazards poses a major risk to people’s long-term health.

“They didn’t tell us that asbestos was bad for you,” Epifanio shares. “All they said was to put on a little mask to not breathe in the dust. I think that’s one of the things that’s caused a lot of damage to people. Not knowing, not having that information because the people that actually manufacture all of those things don’t want us to know how dangerous it is.”

Preventing the Risk of Mesothelioma in Your Home

As a homeowner, you can take several steps to prevent the risk of developing mesothelioma from asbestos at home. If you suspect a building material within the home contains asbestos, contact an expert to test it. 

If you rent and suspect a product in your apartment or house contains asbestos, contact your landlord and request an asbestos inspector come and evaluate it. This certified professional can recommend a plan for properly handling the asbestos product.

Steps for Avoiding Asbestos in Your Home

1. Ask your home inspector or real estate agent if there is asbestos in your home.
2. If you have an older home, don’t perform DIY renovations without first having a professional check for asbestos.
3. If you think you’ve found asbestos in your home, don’t disturb it.
4. Regularly check known asbestos products in your home for signs of wear.
5. Call an abatement specialist if an asbestos product is worn or damaged.
6. Never attempt to remove asbestos without help from a licensed professional.

An asbestos product that has become brittle over time can become friable or easily crumbled. Materials in this state are hazardous. Toxic asbestos fibers can break off and float through the air, posing a serious risk of inhalation.

Asbestos products should be encapsulated or removed from the home immediately. A licensed abatement company should perform this job. It’s the best way to protect you and your family from asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Products Found in Homes

Asbestos was popular in construction before the 1980s. Millions of older homes in the U.S. still have asbestos-containing products. The following are common asbestos products builders often used in homes.

Don’t disturb any of these products if you encounter them. Your priority should be to avoid exposure. It will keep you and your family safe from asbestos.

Asbestos Products Found in Homes

• Attic insulation
• Drywall and joint compound
• Floor tiles and adhesives
• Insulation wrapping on pipes, ducts and electrical wires
• Popcorn ceilings
• Roof shingles and tar

Registered Nurse Sean Marchese notes, “If you’re buying a new house and it’s an older house potentially built before the 1980s, it’s highly important you hire the appropriate professionals to inspect the house for any sources of asbestos. If those materials become damaged in the event of a fire or a flood, asbestos can be released and expose you and your family members to a toxic material that can cause diseases many years later.” 

Raise Asbestos Awareness and Precautions

There are many ways to raise asbestos and mesothelioma awareness. For example, you can help raise awareness on social media, which can be a powerful tool. Share vetted and credible data, personal stories and safety tips. This can be an opportunity to reach people who may not be aware of the serious health effects of asbestos and the ongoing dangers of legacy asbestos. 

You can also use social media to promote participation in awareness events, such as Mesothelioma Awareness Day on September 26. These events can bring communities together to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and the importance of prevention. They can also be an opportunity to foster mesothelioma advocacy.

You can advocate for more asbestos testing, stricter safety measures and inspections of older homes, schools and workplaces. Raise support for ongoing efforts to extend the current asbestos ban to all types of asbestos and uses. Together, these efforts can make a difference in preventing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Raeleen Minchuk

Verified Asbestos.com Survivor

Survivor Works With Canadian Prevention Group

Peritoneal mesothelioma survivor Raeleen Minchuk Prokopetz tells us she’s passionate about advocacy and raising awareness about the dangers of asbestos. She works with a job safety group to help reduce injuries and deaths from asbestos exposure.

Raeleen Minchuk

Verified Asbestos.com Survivor

Read Raeleen’s Story

Monitoring Your Health to Prevent Mesothelioma

If you’ve been exposed to asbestos, maintaining your overall health may help reduce your risk of developing asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. For example, while smoking doesn’t cause mesothelioma, quitting can significantly reduce additional health risks. 

A balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and antioxidant-rich foods helps the body repair itself and fight disease. Exercise and managing any other health conditions may also help maintain overall health.

Discuss your history of asbestos exposure with your doctor to develop a plan to monitor your health proactively. This may involve regular screening tests such as X-rays or pulmonary function tests. If you do experience any mesothelioma symptoms, tell your doctor right away. Early detection and diagnosis can improve your outlook (prognosis) and offer you more mesothelioma treatment options. 

Researchers are looking for new ways to prevent mesothelioma in people already exposed to asbestos. Chemoprevention studies at the University of Pennsylvania have investigated flaxseed lignans, or special compounds, as chemopreventive agents. A study of antioxidants found a flaxseed lignan that reduces asbestos damage.

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