It’s well known that anyone who had significant exposure to asbestos due to their work needs to keep an eye out for the warning signs of cancers such as mesothelioma. It’s important for people to tell their doctors about their work history so they can bear it in mind when making diagnoses. They can also proactively schedule check-ups to search for signs of problems.
What is less publicized is that these workers’ families could also be at higher risk of contracting an asbestos-related cancer, even if they never set foot in the workplace.
Secondary exposure
Fewer people work directly with asbestos than fifty years ago. Back when doing so was more common, it was also more standard for husbands to go to work and their wives to stay at home.
These workers spent many years exposed to asbestos while working in construction, without the personal protective equipment (PPE) and other safeguards that workers who work with asbestos have today. They were often pulling down buildings or parts of buildings that contained asbestos, releasing vast amounts of asbestos particles into the air. They and their colleagues breathed some of that in, and some particles settled in their hair and on their clothing, among other places.
Each day, at the end of their shift, these workers would come home covered in tiny asbestos fibers. They might give their wife a hug while still wearing those clothes. One of their children might jump onto their lap while they were still wearing those same work clothes. Then they would go and clean up, putting their clothes into the laundry basket, along with the rest of the family’s.
As you can imagine, many of those asbestos fibers could have transferred to the worker’s loved ones. This is known as secondary exposure. Only now, many years later, may the first signs of cancer be starting to show in the worker or their family members. Those affected by secondary exposure may also be able to seek compensation if they contract mesothelioma or another serious medical condition because of their loved ones’ exposure to asbestos at work