When medical researchers can conclusively connect a particular substance with the development of cancer, they begin calling that substance a carcinogen. Although humans have used asbestos for centuries, it is only been a few decades since medical science has established the link between handling asbestos on the job and developing deadly cancers decades later.
Workers sometimes take for granted that they won’t end up sickened by asbestos, possibly because the delay between exposure and illness is so long. It is common for illnesses like mesothelioma to take 20 years or more to produce diagnosable symptoms after someone’s exposure to asbestos. A large portion of those with asbestos-related illnesses experienced direct exposure on the job or secondhand exposure through a family member that worked with asbestos. The following industries have the strongest association with asbestos exposure.
The transportation industry
When looking at common forms of travel, one thing that most of them share is the use of asbestos either currently or historically for components in the vehicles. The airline industry is the only one not currently highlighted as a high-risk profession. Automotive repair professionals have elevated risk, as to those working in maritime environments. Shipbuilders and Merchant Marines are among those at elevated risk of asbestos-related illness. Even those who remove rust from offshore installations could end up inhaling asbestos. Railroad workers are also at elevated risk of asbestos exposure.
Multiple manufacturing niches
Obviously, any product that contains asbestos requires workers to handle asbestos and therefore puts them at risk. Water sanitation chemicals, insulation and even building materials have all contained asbestos at one time or another. Those who work in facilities that produce steel, sand or abrasives are also at elevated risk of asbestos exposure.
The construction industry
Workers ranging from drywall professionals and carpenters to insulators and painters may end up exposed to asbestos because of old materials at the properties where they work. Despite bans on the use of asbestos for building materials, older homes built in the 20th century may still contain flooring or insulation with asbestos.
Employees working in these industries and their family members have an elevated risk of asbestos exposure on the job. Anyone who can connect their illness with their former employment may be in a decent position to pursue compensation from a business that exposed them to asbestos previously. Additionally, recognizing when someone is that elevated risk of an asbestos-related illness may help them take action to protect themselves in the future.