Did a Loved One’s Job Expose You to Secondhand Asbestos?
Over the years, shipbuilders, mechanics, construction professionals and factory workers may all have had workplace environmental exposure to asbestos. Depending on the years when someone worked with asbestos (and how committed their employer was to worker safety), only some of these workers may have had protective gear. Others may have been in more danger because their employer did not provide respirators, protective suits or decontamination showers. For decades, workers had far more environmental exposure to asbestos than was safe.
The absence of appropriate decontamination and safety protocols for those handling asbestos on the job wouldn’t just put them at risk. Their family members could also have had secondhand exposure to asbestos because of their jobs.
How Does Second-Hand Asbestos Exposure Occur?
You don’t have to handle large amounts of asbestos to inhale a dangerous amount of the substance. It is a mineral that came break down into a powder so fine that it is barely visible. Asbestos particles can also travel unseen in the air.
A loved one coming home from a long day at work with asbestos left on their clothing, skin or hair could accidentally leave traces of it all throughout their home. Spouses and children could inhale it directly off of them when they hug them to welcome them home.
Could You Have a Second-Hand Asbestos Exposure Claim?
If you never had direct exposure to asbestos but your spouse or parent worked with it, there could be a connection between certain health issues and their career. Recognizing secondhand asbestos exposure as a potential cause of your medical concerns can help you explore the various forms of