Many people are exposed to asbestos while working. In fact, nearly 40 thousand people are exposed to asbestos each year – that’s nearly a hundred people each day.
Asbestos exposure is deadly and can cause many people to suffer from medical conditions. As such, people often wonder how they can reduce exposure to asbestos. Here’s what you should know:
Understand where asbestos can be found
Asbestos was once used in seemingly everything. As such, homes were often insulated with asbestos because of its heat resistance. But, tiles and wallpaper were also lined with asbestos. So, when working in an environment that may have even the slightest trace of asbestos, it may be best to assume everything around you can expose you to this deadly material.
Wear the correct safety equipment
Asbestos is most dangerous when it’s in the lungs. So, to reduce exposure, people should consider wearing masks in places they believe may have asbestos.
Yet, traces of asbestos can be carried on clothing and skin. This can mean that asbestos can get into the lungs even when people leave an asbestos-contaminated area. It may be important to wear lots of protected layers on your person to reduce asbestos exposure.
It isn’t just important to wear the right safety equipment to reduce asbestos exposure, you also have to take the right steps after handling it to prevent further contamination. In other words, you should safely dispose or clean of any clothing that’s been exposed to asbestos. Following that, you should be careful to touch your face before washing your hands. Then you may even want to consider taking a shower to wash off all traces of asbestos.
If you’ve been exposed to asbestos, then you may need to understand your legal rights.