https://www.imesotheliomalaw.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/What_is_Non-Occupational_Asbestos_Exposu.mp4 Public health agencies are greatly concerned about non-occupational asbestos exposure. Occupational asbestos exposure might be well documented but information about non-occupational asbestos exposure can be a bit hard to find. In either case increased exposure to asbestos which is a known carcinogen can lead to life-threatening lung diseases as well as asbestos cancer. In the coming years tens of thousands of people are expected to require treatment for asbestos-related diseases whether from working with asbestos or due to non-occupational exposure. Asbestos is Present Everywhere It is worth remembering that at least a low level of asbestos can be found in nearly all kinds of environments because it is naturally occurring and found in water and soil. The 1900s witnessed an increase in asbestos mining and the mineral started being increasingly used as a component in numerous products. The levels of human exposure to asbestos increased and workers that handled the mineral regularly started developing asbestosis lung cancers as well as mesothelioma at alarming rates. In Public Buildings Schools and Homes As the very same time non-occupational exposure to asbestos at alarming levels was happening in public buildings schools and homes because of the widespread use of the mineral in building materials such as plumbing insulation and fire-resistant clothing. People that have never handled asbestos or asbestos products at their workplace have still developed asbestos cancer diseases such as mesothelioma and it is clear that occupational-level exposure to asbestos isnt required for a person to develop asbestos-related diseases. Second-hand Exposure Cases of secondary or second-hand asbestos exposure have been documented all over the globe. The incidence of mesothelioma (cancer whose only known cause is exposure to asbestos) asbestosis and lung cancer because of second-hand exposure to asbestos is increasing at a steady pace. The onset of the diseases is usually decades after the initial exposure and the cases currently arising are due to exposure to asbestos from many years ago. Second-hand exposure to asbestos usually occurs in one of two ways: living with an individual that works with asbestos products and living close to a source of asbestos. Secondary Exposure from a Nearby Source Thousands of people have lived for many years in towns located close to asbestos mines or companies that manufacture asbestos-containing products. The asbestos levels in the soil air and water in such areas can be very hazardous. One of the most notorious examples is that of Libby Montana which is a town of about 12000 people where a vermiculite mine was situated. The vermiculite had high asbestos levels. Hundreds of residents of Libby developed asbestos-related cancer with over 200 residents dying of diseases caused by exposure to asbestos. Steel mills shipyards power plants rail yards and refineries are also possible asbestos sources. The high volume of asbestos in such facilities reached far beyond their boundaries and often the asbestos contaminates a communitys soil water and air. Secondary Asbestos Cancer Exposure Family members of people that work with asbestos products are also among the numerous victims of non-occupational exposure to asbestos. The tiny asbestos fibres cling to the skin hair shoes and clothes of people that work with asbestos travelling home with them and eventually exposing their pets and loved ones to dangerous levels of asbestos. Solutions to this problem include: - Laundering clothes at the workplace - Changing clothes prior to leaving the workplace - Storing clothes in a separate locker at the workplace - Taking a shower after work at the workplace Symptoms of Asbestos-Related Cancer If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below and suspect that you could have been subjected to non-occupational exposure to asbestos see a doctor: - Loss of appetite - Loss of weight - Swelling of the neck or face - Difficulty swallowing - Tightening or pain in the chest - Blood in a fluid thats coughed up from the lungs - Persistent and worsening cough - Wheezing hoarseness and shortness of breath Learn more about non-occupational exposure to asbestos compensation. The post What is Non-Occupational Asbestos Exposure? appeared first on iMesothelioma Law. via iMesothelioma Law https://www.imesotheliomalaw.com.au/what-is-non-occupational-asbestos-exposure/