Asbestos On The Job - Have You Been Exposed?

Working with asbestos is a pretty complicated affair. Employees are not allowed to handle more than a certain amount for a certain period of time. They need to wear the proper safety equipment and be trained to handle asbestos. Apart from that, the employer can be held liable if the proper safety precautions aren't in place. But this isn't how it used to be earlier. Today, many people have contracted Mesothelioma because of exposure to asbestos in the work place in the past.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that can take many years to show itself. Most cases that have emerged today are the result of exposure to asbestos sometime during the 1940s. It was during this time that many workers in the labor sector were directly exposed to large amounts of asbestos. People who worked in industries such as ship-building, construction and in direct asbestos mining are the most likely to contract Mesothelioma today. Many of the rescue workers and fire fighters who were involved in 9/11 relief work are also at risk, since they too were exposed to high levels of asbestos.

Further studies have also shown that family members of people who have worked with asbestos are also at risk. This is because they are often exposed to asbestos fibers that cling to the clothing, shoes and hair. One of the most frustrating aspects of the disease is that it can sometimes take up to 40 years to show itself. By then, it's often too late for the patient or their family to go back and find out that who is really responsible for the asbestos exposure.