Household Exposure

Tragically, the family members of workers who worked with asbestos may also be at a heightened risk of mesothelioma. It has been recognized for decades that workers could bring home significant amounts of asbestos on their bodies, hair and clothing.

Because asbestos fibers are so tiny, they can easily become lodged in a worker's body and work clothes. Without realizing it, many workers came home every day covered in toxic asbestos dust. These workers' spouses and children were often exposed to significant amounts of asbestos from this contaminated clothing.

Family Members Contract Mesothelioma

As a result of this household or take-home exposure, these workers' families are also at risk of mesothelioma. There are numerous examples of family members contracting malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases simply by breathing the asbestos brought home on a household member's clothes. Wives could be exposed by shaking out the contaminated clothes to do the laundry each week. Children could be exposed by playing with their father before he had a chance to change clothes.

In a typical scenario, a shipyard worker would come home after working with asbestos on navy vessels. His clothes, hair, and body would be contaminated with millions of asbestos fibers. His children would run to the door and greet their dad with a big hug thereby exposing them to asbestos fibers. The worker's wife in doing the family's laundry would shake out the worker's clothes and turn out his pants pockets and cuffs before putting his work clothes in the washing machine. She would then be exposed to significant levels of asbestos.

Most people do not realize the significance of a household exposure. Frequently, a mesothelioma patient will report to her physician that she had never been exposed to asbestos. In fact, in many of these cases, a household member such as a father or husband had worked with asbestos in the past. Because asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma have a latency period of 10 to 40 years, the exposure may involve an ex-husband or a prior occupation from long ago. This household exposure is often overlooked.

However, studies have found that the amount of asbestos fibers released through a household exposure can be as high as many occupational exposures. Numerous cases of mesothelioma have resulted from this type of exposure alone, particularly in women. Household exposure to asbestos has been reported to cause mesothelioma in wives, children, and even the family pet.

Federal Regulations For Household Exposure

In decades past, workers were not aware they could be putting their families in danger by carrying asbestos home on their bodies, hair and clothes, and employers were not obligated to tell them. Presently, federal regulations make it mandatory for employers to warn workers of the dangers of asbestos and the potential dangers of asbestos on their clothing. Some employers may even require workers to change or shower before leaving work premises.