Though asbestos is no longer in common use in the United States, asbestos exposure remains a significant health concern, affecting both workers and the general public. While those with long-term occupational exposure are known to be at risk for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, less is understood about the impact of short-term exposure.
Distinguishing Between Degrees of Asbestos Exposure
Though it’s well known that exposure to asbestos causes malignant mesothelioma and other serious illnesses, less is known about how much exposure is needed to cause these and other diseases. With asbestos causing more than 200 deaths around the world each year and accounting for more than 70% of work-related cancers,[1] there is good cause for people who’ve experienced long-term occupational exposure to be concerned. Those who’ve been briefly exposed are often frustrated and frightened by the lack of clear information about the risk that short-term asbestos exposure poses to their health.
Defining Short-Term and Long-Term Asbestos Exposure
The difference between short-term and long-term asbestos exposure is a question of time, with short-term meaning being exposed for days or weeks and long-term meaning months or years.
- Short-Term Exposure: Brief incidents of contact with asbestos fibers, usually not exceeding a few weeks. These typically occur during home or workplace renovations or when in proximity to a construction site. There is also a risk of this type of exposure following a fire or natural disaster that disturbs asbestos-containing materials. Rather than being exposed to a few asbestos fibers, short-term exposure involves a high-concentration release of fibers into the environment.
Inhaling or ingesting microscopic asbestos particles during short-term exposure can have a real and immediate impact on an individual’s health, generally leading to coughing, shortness of breath, and general respiratory irritation.
- Long-Term Exposure: Prolonged contact with asbestos over several months, years, or decades. Most commonly occurs from occupational exposure in work settings including construction sites, shipyards, industrial settings, and factories. The increased risk of illness that is associated with long-term exposure comes from constant and repeated inhalation over time, significantly increasing the number of asbestos fibers that accumulate in the body, particularly in the mesothelium, the organ that lines the pleural and peritoneal cavities. Long-term exposure can also be the result of living with someone who consistently carries asbestos fibers into the home on their hair, skin, or clothing. Known as secondary exposure, it has affected many wives and children of people who work in asbestos-contaminated environments.
Health Risks of Short-Term Asbestos Exposure
The respiratory symptoms that follow short-term asbestos exposure generally start immediately and include coughing, shortness of breath, and respiratory irritation. These effects are a result of inflammation in the lungs and airways in response to the presence of a foreign body. They generally go away quickly, but that doesn’t mean there’s no risk of serious illness years down the road. There is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Asbestos particles that are inhaled can get stuck in the mesothelium’s cells, and once there, they are difficult for the body to expel. Any asbestos left behind can eventually cause the scarring of asbestosis or the cellular damage that eventually leads to lung cancer or mesothelioma.
The risk of serious health impacts from asbestos exposure exists for both people who are exposed to high concentrations over a short period (known as acute exposure) and those exposed to lower levels over a long period (known as chronic exposure.)[2] Asbestos-related diseases can take anywhere from ten to 50 years after exposure before they begin manifesting symptoms. This long latency period means that those with known exposure should notify their physicians of their history of exposure so that they can arrange for regular screening.
Symptoms of Short-Term Asbestos Exposure:
• Shortness of breath
• Potential for pleural plaques
•Symptoms may resolve after exposure ends
• Lower risk of long-term health issues
• Minimal scarring of lung tissue
Health Risks of Long-Term Asbestos Exposure
People who’ve experienced long-term asbestos exposure are far more likely to have accumulated fibers in their lungs and other organs, and the same characteristic of indestructibility that made the mineral such a valuable component for so many years means that it remains in place in the body,[3] leading to a significant risk of future chronic and fatal health issues, including:
- Malignant pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma. This rare and aggressive form of cancer affects the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart. It is always considered fatal, with most patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma dying within a year of diagnosis.
- Asbestos-related lung cancer. This aggressive form of cancer occurs when tumors form within the lungs. It requires aggressive treatment.
- Asbestosis. A progressive, irreversible scarring of the lungs that leads to disability and difficulty in breathing.
- Other conditions: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pleural plaques, pleural thickening, and other cancers have been linked to long-term asbestos exposure.
Health Risks of Long-Term Exposure
• Asbestosis
• Lung cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Pleural thickening
• Increased risk of other cancers
• Progressive worsening of symptoms
• Higher mortality rates
• Significant lung tissue damage
• Potential for genetic damage
What If You Have a Single Exposure to Asbestos
The most common single-day asbestos exposure happens when people are renovating their homes. If your home was built before 1980, there’s a significant risk of encountering asbestos-containing materials during renovations or repairs. While a single instance of asbestos exposure is generally not considered highly dangerous, the health risk depends on the amount of dust inhaled and the circumstances of exposure. Key factors include:
– Was the asbestos-containing material damaged or friable?
– Was it disturbed by scraping, drilling, smashing, or sawing?
– Was the area poorly ventilated?
If the answer to these questions is yes and safety precautions were not taken, there is a chance you may have inhaled a substantial amount of asbestos dust.
Brief, light exposure to asbestos typically does not cause illness, and short-term exposure is unlikely to have long-term health effects. However, it’s essential to inform your doctor about the incident so it can be noted in your medical history.
While one careless renovation may not significantly increase your risk, it’s crucial to learn from the experience and take proper precautions to prevent future exposure.
Medical Assessments of Exposure Durations
It’s essential that you inform your physician if you’ve been exposed to asbestos and for how long. Your doctor will keep your exposure history in mind when symptoms appear so that they can quickly diagnose and manage suspected asbestos-related conditions. The question of whether your asbestos exposure was short-term or long-term is a critical factor in assessing your health risks, as extended exposure to asbestos significantly raises the chances of developing serious asbestos-related diseases.
Have You Been Diagnosed with an Asbestos-Related Disease?
While both short-term and long-term exposure to asbestos pose risks, prolonged exposure greatly heightens the chances of developing severe illnesses such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. There are challenges to proving the causation of an asbestos-related disease after a short-term exposure, but reporting your exposure to your healthcare provider at the time that it occurs can help. By contrast, there is a well-established link between long-term asbestos exposure and asbestos-related illnesses. If you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, seeking guidance from a mesothelioma attorney is the best way to determine your eligibility to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.
At your first meeting, an asbestos attorney is likely to ask you about the intensity, frequency, and duration of your asbestos exposure. They will ask about your occupational health records, any witnesses to your exposure, and other environmental data that will be used to investigate and support your claims. Attorneys who specialize in helping those diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases have extensive resources and records of where and when asbestos has been used historically. By comparing these records with your exposure, they will be able to identify the product and service companies that may have been responsible for your exposure.
Being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease is shocking, especially if you only had a short-term exposure years ago, but it is important that you get in touch with a mesothelioma attorney as soon as possible so that they can begin investigating your exposure and explain your rights. There are deadlines called statutes of limitations that restrict the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit. Your attorney will be able to tell you what that date is, as well as explain the process. With the information they provide, you’ll be able to consult with your family, friends, and support network to decide on your best course of action.
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