Asbestos Exposure
Table Of Contents
Exposure to asbestos, particularly breathing in airborne fibers, can cause serious health problems such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and various cancers. Asbestos-related diseases typically have a latency period of 20 to 60 years. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain.
Written by Michelle Whitmer | Medically Reviewed By Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D. | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: October 21, 2024
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Written by Michelle Whitmer | Medically Reviewed By Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D. | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: October 21, 2024
How Can You Be Exposed to Asbestos?
Most cases of asbestos exposure happen at work. The material was popular across industries and was used in thousands of products. Exposure can occur when microscopic asbestos fibers from products such as automotive parts, building materials and industrial materials become airborne.
19,000
The number of people in the U.S. exposed to asbestos who The Mesothelioma Center has helped since 2017.
However, additional disturbances, even slight ones, can easily stir the fibers back into the air because they’re so lightweight.
Breathing asbestos fibers increases the risk of developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and other diseases. No amount of asbestos exposure is safe. The level of exposure increases the likelihood of developing asbestos-related diseases.
While the dangers of using asbestos became more well-known and companies phased out mining and manufacturing asbestos products, it can still be found in older homes, buildings and machinery. This legacy asbestos continues to put workers at risk of primary exposure and their families at risk of secondary exposure.
Key Facts About Asbestos Exposure
- On-the-job exposure is the most common.
- Construction, military, industrial and first responder workers are at high risk.
- The construction industry is the occupation with the highest rate of exposure in the U.S.
- Asbestos can easily become airborne if disturbed because it’s so light.
- Asbestos fibers may take up to 48 to 72 hours to settle in an environment with few disturbances.
Cancers Related to Asbestos Exposure
The accumulation of inhaled asbestos fibers in the body can damage DNA and cause cancer. It typically takes 20 to 60 years for symptoms of asbestos-related cancers to emerge after the initial exposure.
Asbestos-Related Cancers
- Laryngeal Cancer: A combination of asbestos exposure, smoking and heavy drinking significantly increases the risk of developing this type of cancer.
- Lung Cancer: This type of cancer develops in lung tissue. When those with a history of asbestos exposure also smoke, the risk of developing it greatly increases.
- Mesothelioma: This cancer may develop in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, heart or testes, and the primary cause is asbestos exposure.
- Ovarian Cancer: Exposure to asbestos-contaminated talc is associated with the development of this cancer, which is the fifth most common among women.
The long latency period of these diseases means they can progress to late stages before symptoms alert the patient to a problem. In most cases, prolonged and heavy exposure leads to a shorter latency period. While no level of asbestos exposure is safe, most problems occur after years of repeated exposure.
Organs Impacted
Inhaled asbestos fibers settle in and around the lungs and become lodged in place. This causes serious health risks such as scarring, inflammation and severe respiratory issues.
The Impact of Asbestos on Organs
The body can eliminate certain asbestos particles, but a significant portion of these fibers may become permanently embedded within the lungs and lining of the lungs. Researchers believe these fibers have the potential to migrate and cause mesothelioma in the lining of the heart, abdomen and testes.
Lung Diseases Related to Asbestos Exposure
Many asbestos-related lung diseases are benign, but they can still seriously affect your health and daily life. Patients diagnosed with these conditions experienced enough asbestos exposure to be considered at risk of also eventually developing an asbestos-related cancer.
Asbestos-Related Lung Conditions
- Asbestosis: This chronic disease causes progressive lung tissue scarring and inflammation.
- Atelectasis: Air trapped in the pleural space can lead to a partial collapse (rounded atelectasis) or total collapse (pneumothorax).
- Diffuse Pleural Thickening: Layers of the lining of the lungs (pleura) thicken, resulting in decreased lung function.
- Pleural Effusion: This condition involves fluid buildup between pleural membrane layers.
- Pleural Plaques: These hardened calcium deposits form on the pleura and sometimes cause pain.
- Pleurisy: Inflammation of the pleura causes the layers to rub together and results in sharp pain.
“Being proactive with your health is imperative after experiencing exposure to asbestos,” said Danielle DiPietro, a Patient Advocate at The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “When a doctor identifies that a patient has an asbestos-related lung disease, they can put the patient on a close monitoring system to see if something like mesothelioma cancer develops in the future, it is caught early. Early detection leads to a better quality of life and better life expectancy.”
Make an appointment with your doctor if you notice signs of asbestos exposure. Difficulty breathing, cough and chest pain are common symptoms of these conditions.
Where Asbestos Exposure Occurs
Occupational exposure is the primary way people encounter asbestos. This includes direct and indirect exposure to asbestos-containing products on the job. When workers bring asbestos fibers home on their clothing or bodies, their family members are at risk from secondary exposure.
Workers in occupations that use or disturb asbestos-containing products have a high risk of exposure, particularly construction workers. Common job sites where asbestos exposure occurs include steel and textile mills, shipyards, power and chemical plants, factories and automotive repair shops.
Consumers who use cosmetics containing asbestos-contaminated talc are also at risk. Another source of exposure is environmental and includes people who live near natural deposits or contaminated job sites. Certain disasters, natural or human-caused, can disturb asbestos and increase this risk.
Occupational Exposure
Before the asbestos bans and regulations, many industries used asbestos in their products and facilities, putting millions of workers at risk. U.S. workers in mining, heavy industry and all construction trades were often exposed to asbestos fibers while on the job.
High-Risk Job Sites
Today, electricians, firefighters, auto mechanics, chlor-alkali workers, oilfield brake mechanics and many other occupations remain at risk. Regulations require companies to mitigate these risks to protect workers.
Products
Vintage bottle warmer with asbestos insulation.
Asbestos companies manufactured thousands of construction materials, appliances and other home goods and even toys with the toxic mineral. Vintage hair dryers, ovens, toasters, ironing boards and oven mitts can be sources of contamination.
Military structures, offices, schools and public buildings built before the 1980s may still contain asbestos insulation, drywall, ceiling and floor tiles, cement, paint and textiles. Older military housing and private homes can also contain these asbestos products.
Automotive parts, planes, trains and other machinery can contain asbestos. It was used extensively in brakes, clutches and other friction products.
Asbestos-contaminated talc also presents an exposure risk. Baby powder, makeup and numerous children’s products have tested positive for the presence of asbestos in recent years.
Military Service Exposure
Asbestos cement walls in USO building.
Military personnel were exposed to asbestos because every branch of the U.S. armed forces used asbestos during the 20th century. The asbestos was used a fireproofing material to keep military service members safe. Legacy asbestos products from this era still pose an exposure threat today, and combat veterans face exposure abroad.
Service members who lived on Navy vessels or worked on military vehicles and aircraft from the 1930s to the 1970s were most at risk. Naval shipyard workers were another high-risk population of military personnel. They came into contact with the toxic material while constructing, repairing and decommissioning Navy vessels.
It was common to construct buildings on military bases using asbestos products. Some of these still present an exposure risk to those living and working on military bases to this day. Military service members who developed asbestos-related diseases through their service can find help to obtain benefits and health care through the VA.
Aaron Munz, former U.S. Army Captain and director of the Veterans Department at The Mesothelioma Center, says that “if the majority of a veteran’s lifetime exposure to asbestos occurred on active duty, the VA can approve a mesothelioma diagnosis as a service-connected disability for benefits.”
Environmental Exposure
Environmental asbestos exposure happens when the fibers get released through mining activities, disturbing a natural asbestos deposit, during the processing of the ore or when natural disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes strike. There is also a high risk of exposure to airborne asbestos fibers if workers who remove and dispose of asbestos-containing materials fail to follow proper abatement procedures.
A prime example of disaster-related exposure is the 2001 terrorist attack at the World Trade Center. The destruction of the Twin Towers released tons of pulverized asbestos into the air in New York City. Researchers continue to follow those exposed after an earlier Environmental Health Perspectives study reported 70% of emergency responders developed new or worsened respiratory problems in the years following the attack.
Job sites that use asbestos are another mesothelioma risk factor. Operations that stir asbestos fibers into the air put people who live in nearby communities in danger. Even short-term asbestos exposure has caused disease in those who live near natural deposits or encounter it on the job.
Learn More About Asbestos Exposure in Your State
Secondary Asbestos Exposure
Secondary exposure, also called indirect exposure, is just as dangerous as firsthand exposure. This exposure happens when asbestos workers bring fibers home on their clothing, hair and skin. Family members and others living in the residence inhale the fibers, putting them at risk of developing a related disease.
I’d go down to the boiler room where my dad worked. It was very dusty. There were chunks of gray, fibrous stuff. I didn’t know it was asbestos. I’d pick it up and play with it…I helped my mother with the laundry, shaking it, getting the dust off his clothes and everything.
Carla Fasolo, pleural mesothelioma survivor
Incidents of secondary exposure happened more often before regulations were set in place in the 1980s. However, new cases continue to appear as women and children who experienced asbestos exposure decades ago begin to develop symptoms.
Those at the greatest risk of secondary exposure in the home were women who laundered contaminated work clothes. Co-workers who shared workspaces with people who worked directly with the material also experienced secondary exposure.
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Connect NowProtection From Asbestos Exposure
Employers are responsible for maintaining safe work environments to help prevent asbestos exposure. Workers can also take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones, and they should file an anonymous complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration when employers don’t take the appropriate precautions to prevent asbestos exposure.
Asbestos-related disease is 100% preventable. That fact motivates me. It should motivate all of us. If we stopped using asbestos, by definition, we could stop asbestos disease.
Dr. Ken Takahashi, Director of the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute
Workers should avoid disturbing asbestos products and should not dry sweep asbestos-containing dust. It’s essential for anyone who encounters asbestos at work to take precautions to avoid bringing the fibers home. Workers should clean contaminated shoes and clothing at the job site and take a shower before returning home. Employers in at-risk industries must provide workers with the facilities to do so.
Common Questions About Asbestos Exposure
- Can I get cancer from asbestos exposure?
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The primary cause of mesothelioma cancer is asbestos exposure. The toxic mineral can also cause lung cancer and other diseases. There is no safe amount of exposure to asbestos, so it’s important for you to educate yourself on the dangers and common risks so you can take precautions.
- What should you do if you were exposed to asbestos dust?
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Anyone exposed to asbestos who experiences symptoms of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease should immediately contact a doctor for advice, testing and treatment. Mesothelioma doctors can perform screenings to prevent a misdiagnosis.
- How much asbestos exposure is harmful?
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There is no safe amount of asbestos exposure. Even a heavy, one-time asbestos exposure can lead to mesothelioma, lung cancer, pleural thickening or other asbestos-related diseases.
- Can you be exposed to asbestos from someone else?
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It’s possible to experience secondary asbestos exposure through contact with someone else. Workers can bring home asbestos fibers on their clothes and put their family members at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases.
- Can I claim any compensation after asbestos exposure?
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Anyone with a history of asbestos exposure who shows signs of an asbestos-related disease may be eligible to claim mesothelioma compensation from:
If you experienced exposure and developed a health condition from it, you could benefit from speaking with a lawyer who specializes in asbestos-related diseases. The right attorney can provide you with advice and argue your case on your behalf to secure you the compensation you deserve.
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