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.
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 occupationsinclude:
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 exposurewhen 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.
Join a Free Asbestos Cancer Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
If you or a loved one have been exposed to asbestos and were subsequently diagnosed with the following asbestos-related illnesses, you may qualify to file an asbestos lawsuit:
Mesothelioma
Lung cancer
Larynx cancer
Esophageal cancer
Colon cancer
Pulmonary asbestosis
Asbestos-related pleural disease,
We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement
administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source
that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements,
drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class
Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the
status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the
settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding
your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are
expected to be mailed out.
We use cookies to improve functionality and performance, enhance user experience, and provide tailored content. Click Accept if you consent. Click Change Settings if you want to tailor the use of your cookies.
Accept
Read more
Change Settings
Cookie Box Settings
Cookie Box Settings
Privacy settings
Decide which cookies you want to allow.
You can change these settings at any time. However, this can result in some functions no longer being available. For information on deleting the cookies, please consult your browser’s help function.
Learn more about the cookies we use.
With the slider, you can enable or disable different types of cookies:
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Tailor information and advertising to your interests based on e.g. the content you have visited before
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Tailor information and advertising to your interests based on e.g. the content you have visited before
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Advertising: Use information for tailored advertising with third parties
Advertising: Allow you to connect to social sites
Advertising: Identify device you are using
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Use information for tailored advertising with third parties
Advertising: Allow you to connect to social sites
Advertising: Identify device you are using
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location