By this point, the dangers of exposure to asbestos fibres are fairly well documented, and you probably already know that coming into contact with this substance carries a lot of risks.
While increased public awareness is generally a good thing, helping people remember to protect themselves, there's also a lot of misinformation about. This misinformation can make it difficult for people to understand the problem, and sometimes causes fear when it's not necessary.
An important part of the picture when assessing asbestos dangers is understanding exactly what contributes to the risk. Certain activities can increase the chances of exposure leading to health problems, so consider seeking medical help if any of these apply to you.
Long-term exposure through work
The reason it's most often people who work around asbestos that suffer health problems is that it's when the fibres become airborne that they can be inhaled. It's generally safe until it's disturbed, which happens during construction or demolition work.
Although no exposure is good, those who worked in environments with asbestos for long periods or many short periods are most at risk. It usually takes years – even decades – for symptoms to appear, so you should never assume you're safe.
Smoking
Because smoking and asbestos fibres both cause lung cancer, the chances of developing this disease among smokers with asbestos exposure are multiplied. Even when your exposure was a long time ago, smoking puts you at a very high risk of lung cancer, so it's a good idea to be tested and consider quitting.
Early-life exposure
People who were exposed to asbestos fibres at a young age are more likely to eventually develop the various health problems associated with it. Although not many people were working around asbestos as children, there are other ways you may have come into contact.
If you had any family members who worked in environments with asbestos, they may have carried fibres on their clothing when they came home. Although the amount carried on clothing is relatively small, it's still enough to be harmful.
Another way people sometimes inhale asbestos fibres as children is when they become airborne through damaged building work containing them. Unfortunately, it's no easy task to determine whether this may have happened to you.
Certain types of asbestos
All types of asbestos are dangerous, but some are associated with a higher risk than others. In particular, the type known as blue asbestos is known to be more dangerous than others. Finding out what type you might have been exposed to is difficult, but not impossible. Consult old building records, get in touch with former employers, and talk to people you worked with.
Share2 October 2017
Yo! Welcome to my blog. The most important thing you have in life is your health. You can have a big car and a nice house and a great career but without your health, all of this is worth nothing at all. I didn't realise this until my dad became unwell and a man who seemed like a giant among the men of this world was suddenly stuck in a hospital bed. I nursed my dad and supported him throughout his recovery. During this time, I learnt a lot about the health and medical world. I hope you like this blog.