Because asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is present in the environment, everyone experiences some amount of asbestos exposure in their lifetimes. This type of low level exposure isn’t generally considered to be dangerous, but there’s no threshold exposure level where doctors can expect a negative health outcome once you’ve exceeded that degree of exposure.
Most people who develop mesothelioma in Louisiana were exposed to asbestos through jobs in industries where it was heavily used, like construction, shipbuilding, automotive, milling, military service, and similar trades.
Spouses and children of those workers also have a higher-than-normal risk for asbestos related diseases because asbestos fibers would become lodged in the worker’s clothes on the job, and then come into the home environment when they came home after a shift. Again, assessing the potential hazard to the family members of workers in asbestos-rich trades is difficult. Most will never develop mesothelioma, and the reasons why some do are not well understood.
Being a smoker who has a history of asbestos exposure is one way to increase your odds of developing an asbestos related disease, but in many cases, the factors are probably a mixture of genetics and lifestyle, plus environmental factors.
The best course of action that workers in industries that use asbestos in Louisiana today have is to use safety equipment like respirators, goggles, and appropriate clothing for tasks that involving asbestos. Employers should offer these to every employee working in jobs that involve a higher risk of asbestos exposure, and proper, routine use of safety equipment should help reduce your risk of future illness.
For those who experienced chronic exposure prior to our understanding of the dangers, there is help when you are diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses. Call the Gertler Law Firm at (504) 581-6411 today to learn about your options for fighting mesothelioma and protecting your family in New Orleans and Louisiana.
