As far back as the late 1800s, doctors saw an increase in asbestos lung cancer in women and children who washed the clothing of men who worked around asbestos.

Even though the family members were never directly exposed to the dangerous fibers, when a relative who worked with asbestos arrived home with asbestos-contaminated clothing, he was unwittingly exposing family members to second-hand asbestos.

The concern is that those who wash asbestos-laden clothing might shake off the dangerous dust before placing the clothing in the water. The shaking would disturb the asbestos fibers, allowing them to float into the air where they could be inhaled.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has a natural resistance to heat, fire, chemicals, and electricity. Due to these properties, asbestos was widely used in materials such as insulation, roofing, fireproofing, and many other applications.

Although regulators have banned asbestos due to health risks, asbestos exposure is still possible in old buildings or when working around certain products. Additionally, some occupations are at an increased risk of asbestos exposure. At-risk occupations include:

• Shipbuilding
• Mining
• Insulation work
• Construction
• Building
• Manufacturing
• Demolition
• Asbestos abatement
• Firefighters

Due to the health issues associated with asbestos, the use of protective equipment is encouraged to help reduce exposure. However, there is the risk that those directly exposed to asbestos may cause secondhand exposure when they bring fibers home on their clothes, in their hair, or on their skin.

There are several measures to help prevent workers from taking asbestos fibers home. For example, workers who may come into contact with asbestos on the job may be required to shower and change clothing before returning home.

Although there are measures to help prevent asbestos clothing contamination, some fibers may still make their way onto clothing items. Trying to wash asbestos from clothing may be unsafe.

Is It Safe to Wash Asbestos from Clothing?

Even with today’s high-tech washing machines, tiny asbestos particles can become airborne as the clothes are placed into the washing machine. Any fibers left behind after washing asbestos-contaminated clothing could contaminate the next load of laundry. Asbestos fibers can also be left behind in the washing machine, potentially contaminating clothing laundered afterward.

Employers must provide workers with a place to change their asbestos-laced clothing before going home, according to federal regulations managed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Workers must also be provided access to showering facilities to ensure no asbestos remains on their skin or in their hair before leaving the workplace, OSHA says.

Study: Second-Hand Asbestos Exposure Harms Family Members

In 1960, a study uncovered cases of mesothelioma among seven family members of asbestos workers in the following occupations: engine room workers, boiler coverers, asbestos factory foreman, docker handling asbestos cargo, railway carriage builder, and an asbestos factory worker, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The conclusion is that these family members developed the asbestos-caused disease through secondhand exposure to the clothing the workers brought home.

Asbestos fibers can be breathed or even swallowed after becoming airborne. Diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis are among the risks of asbestos exposure, according to WebMD.

What Are Asbestos-Related Diseases?

Mesothelioma is cancer in the lining of an organ. Most often, asbestos causes mesothelioma in the lining of the lungs.

Asbestosis is a severe buildup of scar tissue in the lungs. The scar tissue is a result of the body reacting to the presence of asbestos particles.

Asbestos exposure may also cause lung cancer.