Asbestos in the Home: What contaminants did the NIOSH Study Find?

Read about the dangerous contaminants such as asbestos that NIOSH found in the homes of workers.

NIOSH found reports of incidents in 28 countries and 36 states. Such incidents have resulted in a wide range of health effects and contaminants in workers’ homes, including respiratory problems, neurologic disorders, and fatal poisonings. About half of the reports have appeared in the last 10 years.

Contaminants that caused health effects among workers’ families include:

Asbestos: Asbestos reaching workers’ homes has occurred worldwide, resulting in all forms of asbestos disease among workers’ family members, including over 100 identified deaths from mesothelioma in the United States. Although asbestos is now used less and regulated more, there is still the chance for exposure among workers’ families, especially among construction workers.

Lead: Nearly 80 reported cases of workers’ family exposure to lead contamination were identified. More than half of the reports on workers’ children have occurred since 1990.

Beryllium: Nearly 40 reported cases of chronic beryllium disease were identified among workers’ families.

Mercury: In six reported cases, workers’ homes were contaminated with mercury. The occupations of the workers involved included working at a chlor-alkali plant, the manufacturing of thermometers, and extracting gold at home.

Arsenic: Arsenic in mine and smelter dust brought home on a worker’s clothing was considered a source of a child’s poisoning.

Cadmium: Cadmium in the homes of lead-smelter workers resulted in increased levels in the workers’ children.

Pesticides: Pesticide poisoning resulted in fatal and nonfatal cases in workers’ household members. Most reports occurred before 1980, but three more recent cases exist.

Courtesy of http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/wkhmcn.pdf

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