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Asbestos Risk Factors

Asbestos consists of naturally fibrous minerals that are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals and do not conduct electricity. Because of these very attributes, asbestos was commonly used in many industries until the late 1970s in materials such as insulation, hair dryers, vehicle brake pads, paints, cooking pot handles and building materials. If asbestos is damaged or disturbed, risks of health hazards increase. Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen and increases the risk of developing asbestosis, mesothelioma, asbestos pleural disease and lung cancer.

  1. Concentration and Length of Exposure

    • One of the major risk factors of asbestos exposure is the concentration of asbestos in the air. Asbestos diseases follow a dose-response relationship curve, which means that the more asbestos is inhaled, the greater the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease. Asbestos exposure is most commonly associated with industries such as asbestos mining, milling, construction and fireproofing. Workers from these industries are exposed to a higher concentration of asbestos than most. Your risk of contracting an asbestos-related disease also increases with the length of your exposure to asbestos. The longer the exposure, the higher the cumulative dose and, therefore, the higher risk of becoming ill.

    Asbestos Characteristics

    • The risk of developing asbestos-related lung diseases also depends on the chemical makeup, size and shape of the asbestos fibers to which you are exposed. There are six different varieties of asbestos: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite and anthophyillite. Chrysotile fibers are curly and less sharp and pose fewer threats than other types of asbestos. However, crocidolite and amosite have very thin and long, jagged fibers that are the size and shape most active in producing tumors. However, lung cancers and asbestosis have been known to occur following exposure to chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite and anthophyllite asbestos.

    Sources of Exposure

    • Any exposure to asbestos increases your chance of contracting asbestos-related diseases. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health suggests that even very short exposure periods, as little as one day, can increase the risk of significant disease. Beyond the workplace, asbestos exposure can happen in buildings where asbestos products have become damaged. For example, asbestos in ceiling tiles, insulation around pipes or in other building materials may become damaged and release fibers into the air when disturbed during repair or renovation projects. Levels of asbestos airborne particles can be affected by activities done in a building, such as the use of fans or the opening and closing of windows.

    Individual Risks

    • The risk of developing asbestos-related lung disease increases when certain individual risk factors are present, including smoking, obesity, a family history of kidney cancer or pre-existing lung disease. According to the National Cancer Institute, studies have shown that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure can be particularly hazardous. Family members of those exposed to asbestos also may be at risk from breathing in asbestos fibers released from the clothes, shoes or bodies of the exposed person. As in Libby, Montana, people living close to asbestos mines or asbestos-processing facilities have an increased risk of becoming ill from airborne asbestos particles.

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