“Bystander” asbestos exposure is a form of indirect asbestos exposure. Bystander exposure to asbestos usually refers to people who work in jobs that expose them to asbestos even though they do not personally work with the disease-causing mineral. Consider, for example, an auto repair shop manager. Although the manager may not have performed repair work,…
We are often asked this seemingly simple question: “What is secondary asbestos exposure?” The short answer is surprisingly simple. Secondary asbestos exposure exists when a person’s contact with asbestos was indirect. The more complicated answer is that secondary exposure to asbestos occurs when a person did not work with asbestos but rather came into contact…
Direct exposure to asbestos means you have made contact with asbestos itself or with material that contains asbestos, one of six different naturally occurring minerals. This contact has allowed you to inhale or ingest asbestos fibers. (Indirect exposure to asbestos would be like “secondhand” smoke—you were not involved in the smoking but inhaled the smoke…