At the moment, there are roughly 3.5 million buildings that contain asbestos in the United States, ranging from residential to commercial, educational, and industrial. They were put up before the 1980s, so you can only imagine how many structures of this kind existed back in the day, as many have been demolished in the meantime. People who had their offices in a building that contained asbestos products such as insulation, drywall, floor tiles, or popcorn ceiling were at risk of asbestos exposure, although to a lesser extent than individuals who were working directly with the mineral in industrial settings.
The older the building in which the person worked was, the greater their asbestos exposure would be, as products that contain asbestos become friable over the years, being able to release toxic fibers in the environment with the slightest disturbance. Ventilation was a major factor that facilitated the circulation of asbestos fibers in the offices of these workers, as exposure to this mineral occurs via inhalation and ingestion. For instance, exposure to asbestos could easily happen to the person in their office by stepping on floor tiles made with asbestos, which would subsequently release carcinogenic fibers into the air. Moreover, if remodeling was performed to a part of the building that office workers spent most of their time in close proximity of, they could have easily breathed in and swallowed asbestos fibers as well.
Last but not least, another occupational category with low asbestos exposure is drivers, as their cars, trucks, or buses would have components that had been manufactured with asbestos, such as brakes and gaskets. When they would look underneath the hood, they risked inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers that came off the components of the vehicle. Furthermore, truck drivers, in particular, would be exposed to asbestos by picking up the cargo, inspecting the cargo for any defects, securing the cargo for transport, and cleaning up the trailer.
Relevant job titles
- office worker
- clerk
- communications specialist
- pit recorder
- supply clerk
- medical social worker
- therapist
- social worker
- director of social services
- nurse aid
- instructor
- bus driver
- truck driver
- cook
- farmhand
- janitor
- housekeeper
- security guard
