People sometimes assume that they don’t need to worry about asbestos exposure because they’ll know as soon as it happens. They assume they’ll see it, smell it, taste it, etc. Even if it’s mixed with other dust, they have this idea that they’ll be aware of the risk.
But is this true? Can you taste asbestos and identify the risk that way?
The size of the particles produces a unique danger
The problem with this line of thinking is that it just doesn’t hold up. Asbestos particles are tiny. When they are in the dust, you can’t taste them. You can’t necessarily see them or feel them, either. For all intents and purposes, they are invisible to you.
Moreover, asbestos itself won’t make you sneeze. It won’t make you cough. It won’t make your throat itch. It won’t make your skin feel irritated. You may feel some of these effects if you’re breathing in other types of dust at the same time, but asbestos on its own will not do it. This is why there’s a very good chance you’ll have no idea you have been exposed, at least if you’re counting on these senses.
The increased danger of illness from asbestos
The level of risk you face from asbestos is very high, and the fact that you may not know it’s there really can increase this danger. You may not be able to keep yourself safe since you have no idea that you need to. If this leads to health complications like mesothelioma, you absolutely need to know about all of the legal options that you have at your disposal.