Measures for Preventing Home Contamination to Asbestos

Preventing Home Contamination by Asbestos

Preventive measures that were found to be effective when used in the workplace include:

Reducing exposures in the workplace; Changing clothes before going home and leaving the soiled clothing at work to be laundered by the employer; Storing street clothes in separate areas of the workplace to prevent their contamination; Showering before leaving work; and Prohibiting removal of toxic substances or contaminated items from the workplace.

Preventive measures that have been used successfully at home include:

Separating work areas of cottage industries from living areas; Properly storing and disposing of toxic substances on farms and in cottage industries; Preventing family members from visiting the workplace; Laundering contaminated clothing separately from family laundry when it is necessary to launder contaminated clothing at home; and Informing workers of the risk to family members and of preventive measures.

Other preventive measures that need to be used include:

Educating physicians and other health professionals to inquire about potential work-related causes of disease; Developing surveillance programs to track health effects that could be related to home contamination; and Educating children, parents, and teachers about the effects of toxic substances.

Courtesy of The Center for Disease Control