Asbestos Exposure on Work Sites

Work Sites with Asbestos Exposure

It’s nearly impossible to list every American work site exposing workers to asbestos — there were just that many places.

Asbestos was thought to be a miracle material because it is:

• Chemically stable
• Easy to use
• Lightweight
• Non-corrosive
• Resistant to fire
• Strong
• Thermally inert

Asbestos also didn’t conduct electricity and didn’t dissolve in water. Further, asbestos was widely available and extremely affordable.

These product properties allowed asbestos products into homes, factories, trains, ships, and automobiles.

Many schools used asbestos products, putting teachers and children at risk long-term asbestos exposure. Work sites contained asbestos in everything from wallboard to paint.

You may still be at risk even if you didn’t directly handle asbestos-containing materials.

Many job sites also put people at risk of secondary asbestos exposure when workers who directly handled asbestos interacted with other workers and their family members.

High-Risk Work Sites

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) classifies over 75 worker groups who were at risk of asbestos exposure in their work sites. The NIOSH identified the highest at-risk work sites and employment roles.

Top work sites that exposed workers to airborne asbestos fibers included:

• Asbestos mines
• Factories that were making asbestos-based products
• Construction work sites that used asbestos products
• Industrial work sites that used asbestos materials for insulation and fireproofing
• Ships and shipyards, because ships heavily relied on asbestos materials
• Power generation plants that used asbestos for heat control
• Textile mills that spun asbestos fibers into fabrics
• Demolition work sites that contained old asbestos products

Asbestos-Exposed Workers

Asbestos is relatively safe and stable when it remains in the ground or after asbestos-based products are installed and sealed. Health risks associated with asbestos exposure increase when its fibers are disturbed.

Exposure can occur when asbestos is mined, transported, used in products, and installed in work sites.

Asbestos is easily dislodged from a stable form and can crumble quite easily. Asbestos dust clouds can be hard to see in a work site, preventing workers from being able to protect themselves.

Many unprotected workers spent months and years at their work sites where they regularly inhaled and ingested asbestos particles.

Many employers and product producers who put workers at risk for developing mesothelioma are now being held accountable.

Compensation for Asbestos Exposure on Work Sites

If you developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure in your work site, you may be eligible for compensation.

You may receive payment for:

• Lost income
• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering

You can also file a lawsuit for punitive damages. Families can claim on behalf of a loved one or pursue a wrongful death lawsuit if someone has died from their asbestos-related illness.