Asbestos Exposure & Disease

s
Asbestos Exposure in the Workplace

Asbestos exposure is common among those who work in the trades or do manual labor. Discuss your work history with your doctor if you fall into one of the high risk categories listed below. This will keep your doctor on the alert for symptoms of asbestos–related diseases, which often take decades to develop after the initial asbestos exposure (see asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer for details).


If your asbestos exposure took place during the course of private employment, you may be eligible to file a workers' compensation claim. You may also have a case against the manufacturer of the asbestos product involved. To learn more about workers' compensation options, visit the asbestos workers' compensation section.

Additional Information About High Risk Jobs

The following list of trades have a high incidence of asbestos exposure. More specific information about asbestos exposure on the following jobs can be found at Asbestos Network.

Insulating

Exposed asbestos on damaged pipe insulation on pipes in a refinery.
Insulators, laggers, asbestos workers or any other people who worked extensively around asbestos insulation, are especially at risk for the development of an asbestos related disease. Common products that insulators worked with are:

asbestos pipe covering,
asbestos block insulation,
asbestos containing cement,
asbestos lagging,
asbestos clothe, or
Zonolite Attic Insulation.