Key Takeaways
- Secondary asbestos exposure can occur when asbestos fibers are brought home from a workplace on clothing, shoes, hair, skin, or personal belongings.
- Asbestos fibers may settle on shirts, pants, jackets, gloves, shoes, tools, and work bags.
- Contaminated clothing can potentially release asbestos fibers again when it is handled, shaken, folded, washed, or stored.
- Family members who handled contaminated work clothes, particularly during laundry, could have experienced secondary asbestos exposure.
- Workers in construction, steel production, shipbuilding, manufacturing, maintenance, and other industries historically faced potential asbestos exposure.
- Asbestos exposure is associated with serious diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
- Understanding both occupational and household exposure history may help families identify potential sources of asbestos exposure.
Asbestos exposure does not always happen directly to the person who worked around asbestos. In some cases, asbestos fibers can be carried home on a worker’s clothing, shoes, hair, or skin. When family members are exposed to those fibers, it is known as secondary asbestos exposure.
But how exactly can asbestos get from a workplace into a home, and what can be carried on a worker’s clothes?
What Is Secondary Asbestos Exposure?
Secondary asbestos exposure occurs when someone is exposed to asbestos because another person brought asbestos fibers home from their workplace.
Workers in industries such as construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, steel production, and maintenance may have encountered asbestos-containing materials. Fibers could settle on their clothing or personal belongings and potentially be carried home.
Family members could then encounter those fibers through normal household activities.
How Can Asbestos Get on Clothing?
Asbestos consists of microscopic fibers that can become airborne when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed.
Fibers may settle on:
- Shirts and pants
- Jackets and work gloves
- Shoes and boots
- Hair and skin
- Tools and work bags
The CDC identifies clothing, shoes, skin, and hair as possible ways workplace substances can be carried home.
What Happens When Contaminated Clothes Come Home?
Asbestos fibers can potentially become airborne again when contaminated clothing is moved or handled.
This could happen when someone:
- Takes off work clothes
- Places them in a laundry basket
- Shakes or folds the clothing
- Washes the clothing
- Stores contaminated clothing in the home
Family members who handled work clothing, particularly during laundry, could therefore have experienced secondary asbestos exposure.
Can Asbestos Be Brought Home on Shoes?
Yes. Shoes can potentially pick up asbestos-containing dust and fibers in a contaminated workplace.
A worker could then carry those fibers into the home on their footwear. This is one reason workplace procedures are important for preventing asbestos from leaving the job site.
The CDC identifies shoes as one potential pathway for take-home exposure.
Who May Be at Risk of Secondary Asbestos Exposure?
Historically, family members of workers in asbestos-related occupations could potentially experience secondary exposure.
These workers included:
- Steelworkers
- Construction workers
- Shipyard workers
- Insulators
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Railroad workers
- Factory workers
- Power plant workers
- Maintenance workers
Pennsylvania has a long history of many of these industries. For some families, an individual’s asbestos exposure may have occurred indirectly through a spouse, parent, or other household member.
What Health Risks Are Associated With Asbestos Exposure?
Asbestos exposure is associated with serious diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
One of the challenges with asbestos-related diseases is that they can take many years to develop. A person diagnosed with mesothelioma later in life may therefore have difficulty remembering or identifying an exposure that occurred decades earlier.
For family members of workers who were heavily exposed to asbestos, understanding the history of secondary exposure can be an important part of understanding their potential risk.
Why This Matters
Secondary asbestos exposure shows that asbestos exposure was not always limited to the people working directly with the material.
For decades, workers could unknowingly bring asbestos fibers home on clothing, shoes, or their bodies. Family members who handled those items or spent time around contaminated dust may have experienced exposure without ever working in an asbestos-related occupation themselves.
Understanding these potential exposure pathways can be especially important for Pennsylvania families with a history of industrial or construction work.
Final Thoughts
Secondary asbestos exposure can happen when asbestos fibers are carried home from a workplace on clothing, shoes, hair, or other personal items. For families of workers who encountered asbestos, this type of exposure may have occurred without anyone realizing the potential risks at the time.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma and believe asbestos exposure may have played a role, looking back at both occupational and family exposure history can help provide a clearer picture of where exposure may have occurred.
At Pennsylvania Mesothelioma Information, we are committed to helping individuals and families understand asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, and the resources available to those affected.
If you have questions about asbestos exposure or mesothelioma, call us today at 800-505-6000 or reach out through our contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is secondary asbestos exposure?
Secondary asbestos exposure occurs when someone is exposed to asbestos because another person brought asbestos fibers home from their workplace.
Can asbestos be brought home on clothing?
Yes. Asbestos fibers can potentially settle on shirts, pants, jackets, work gloves, shoes, and other clothing or personal items and be carried home from a contaminated workplace.
Can asbestos be brought home on shoes?
Yes. Shoes and boots can potentially pick up asbestos-containing dust and fibers in a workplace and carry those fibers into the home.
How can contaminated clothes expose family members?
Asbestos fibers can potentially become airborne again when contaminated clothing is removed, placed in a laundry basket, shaken, folded, washed, or stored. Family members who handled contaminated work clothing could therefore have experienced secondary asbestos exposure.
Who may have been at risk of secondary asbestos exposure?
Historically, family members of workers in occupations such as construction, steel production, shipbuilding, insulation, plumbing, electrical work, railroad work, manufacturing, power plants, and maintenance could potentially have experienced secondary asbestos exposure.
What diseases are associated with asbestos exposure?
Asbestos exposure is associated with serious diseases including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. These diseases can take many years to develop after exposure.
Can someone develop mesothelioma without working around asbestos?
Yes. A person may have experienced asbestos exposure indirectly through secondary exposure if asbestos fibers were brought home on a family member’s clothing, shoes, hair, skin, or personal belongings.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/reproductive-health/about/take-home.html
https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/safe-work-practices
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos/asbestos-fact-sheet
