What should I do if I suspect I’ve been exposed to asbestos?
If you suspect you have been exposed to asbestos, stay calm. Panicking risks further contamination and can undermine your workplace’s asbestos management procedures.
If you suspect you have been exposed to asbestos, here are the steps you should take:
1. Assume you’ve been exposed to asbestos
As with suspect surfaces, treat potential exposure as actual exposure.
Any exposure, no matter how brief, is potentially dangerous. Assuming the worst ensures the right steps are taken.
2. Seek medical help immediately
Even if your symptoms are slight or barely noticeable, seek out an asbestos-related disease specialist so you can be examined for any potential asbestos related diseases.
Once exposed to asbestos, there’s no cure. However, by taking care of your health and being on the lookout for the symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses, you can ensure that you can get diagnosed more quickly in the event that you fall ill. Early treatment for asbestos diseases gives you the best chance of recovery.
3. Update the National Asbestos Exposure Register (NAER)
The Australian Government created the National Asbestos Exposure Register (NAER) to record information for members of the community who may have been exposed to asbestos, for their future reference. Updating the register creates a reference point for future health monitoring.
The NAER is a voluntary, privacy-protected register for anyone who believes they may have been exposed to asbestos – whether at work, in the home or in the community. This data is stored securely and can be accessed by the individual in the future if they need to recall the exposure event.
4. Contact your employer
Asbestos management is essential in the workplace to ensure workplace safety and compliance. Contact your employer to provide them with any information regarding the location and time of ACM exposure.
This helps your employer update their asbestos management plan and notify other workers who may also have been exposed.
5. Take steps to maintain your health
Once immediate hazards are mitigated, do not assume you are in the clear. Regularly consult with your doctor to detect any asbestos-related diseases early.
Adopt healthy lifestyle choices to reduce the likelihood of asbestos-related disease. These choices include the cessation of smoking, as well as ensuring that all of your vaccinations are up to date.
How can one get exposed to asbestos?
Because of asbestos’ wide use in Australian building construction up until the late 90s, there are many buildings and homes within Australia with asbestos containing materials (ACM) in the walls and ceiling.
When certain areas of the building are disrupted, it can cause a breakage of asbestos containing materials, which then releases asbestos fibres into the air. Asbestos fibres are easy to inhale once they have been released into the surrounding area, which is why asbestos management in the workplace is essential.
What are the signs of asbestos exposure?
The signs of asbestos come in the form of asbestos disease related symptoms. As a result, the majority of asbestos signs are incurred in the lungs, where the asbestos fibres cause direct damage.
However, there are other areas of the body that asbestos affects, so signs can arise as symptoms in the throat, stomach and colon as well. Below, we’ve listed the symptoms that can arise in the aftermath of asbestos exposure.
Asbestos affecting the lungs
Signs of asbestos exposure affecting the lungs include:
- Shortness of breath
- Dry cough or wheezing
- A persistent crackling sound when breathing
- Chest pain or tightness
- Respiratory complications
- Accumulation of fluid in the space surrounding a lung (a.k.a. Pleural effusion)
- Accumulation of plaque in the space surrounding a lung (a.k.a. Pleural plaque)
- Pleural thickening
- Asbestosis
Asbestos affecting other parts of the body
Signs of asbestos exposure affecting other parts of the body include:
- Abdominal swelling and distention
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Bowel obstruction
- Hernia
- Inexplicable weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Hoarseness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Clubbed fingers
What diseases are caused by asbestos exposure?
Asbestos exposure can cause different kinds of diseases to develop, such as:
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Asbestosis
- Benign pleural effusion
- Pleural plaques
- Pleuritis
- Pleural thickening
- Atelectasis
These diseases are serious, which is why prompt action after any exposure is critical.
Asbestos Disease FAQs
What is the risk of developing asbestos related diseases?
Approximately 20% of people who work with asbestos develop a related disease. Some heavily exposed groups have reported even higher rates.
- 6 to 10% develop mesothelioma
- 20% to 25% develop lung cancer
- 50% of heavily exposed groups develop asbestosis
How long do asbestos symptoms take to emerge?
Typically, the symptoms of an asbestos related disease take 40 years to emerge. This is why it’s important to consult your doctor regularly, as the asbestos latency period is why mesothelioma diagnoses are difficult.
Is there a safe level of asbestos exposure?
No. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), no level of asbestos exposure is safe.
(Source: asbestos.com)
Sources
https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/workplace-cancer/asbestos
https://www.asbestosremovalsaustralia.com.au/blog/youve-exposed-asbestos/