asbestos exposure

oramar · Jul 26, 2000

Originally posted by sandi1993:
has anyone ever seen or heard of an allergic skin reaction to asbestos exposure? I had a very severe reaction. I was exposed to asbestos at work. It was not disposed of legaly during our hospital renovation. I had some respirtory problems, but lost nearly 2 weeks of work from severe rash. no one else has heard of this kind of reaction. the hospital is now being sited by OSHA. anyone else had similiar experience? woould appreciate any exchange.

You should talk to a tort lawyer, I do not know for sure but you may have a case outside of workmens comp. It would not hurt to ask. I'm sorry, I do not know anything about the medical aspects of this condition. I hope someone else can help you.

Sharon · Jul 28, 2000

GENERAL OCCUPATIONAL INFO

Whenever you suspect you have sustained an injury or illness due to an occupational exposure you must file a report immediately. You do not need to have supporting medical documentation at the time you file the report, just your belief. Failure to file the report within the time frame in the statues can result in a lost of benefits and the ability to later sue.

ASBESTOS INFO

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0041.html

Exposure Routes inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact Symptoms Asbestosis (chronic exposure): dyspnea (breathing difficulty), interstitial fibrosis, restricted pulmonary function, finger clubbing; irritation eyes; [Potential occupational carcinogen]

Appendix C

Asbestos

NIOSH considers asbestos (i.e., actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and tremolite) to be a potential occupational carcinogen and recommends that exposures be reduced to the lowest possible concentration.

For asbestos fibers >5 micrometers in length, NIOSH recommends a REL of 100,000 fibers per cubic meter of air (100,000 fibers/m3), which is equal to 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter of air (0.1 fiber/cm3), as determined by a 400-liter air sample collected over 100 minutes and NIOSH Analytical Method #7400.

As found in 29 CFR 1910.1001, the OSHA PEL for asbestos fibers (i.e., actinolite asbestos, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos, chrysotile, crocidolite, and tremolite asbestos) is an 8-hour TWA airborne concentration of 0.1 fiber (longer than 5 micrometers and having a length-to-diameter ratio of at least 3 to 1) per cubic centimeter of air (0.1 fiber/cm3), as determined by the membrane filter method at approximately 400X magnification with phase contrast illumination. No worker should be exposed in excess of 1 fiber/cm3 (excursion limit)as averaged over a sampling period of 30 minutes.

YOUR HEALTH

Your physician and an occupational and environmental health physician should evaluate your symptoms. Typically rashes are not a sign of asbestos disease but anyone can be allergic to anything. An allergic reaction to an exposure in the workplace is an occupational disease (i.e. latex gloves). You should ask for a copy of the indoor air quality (IAQ) evaluation conducted after the incident. If the IAQ has not been done, then officially request it.

You will be required to be seen by your employer's and their insurer's physician(s). This is a normal part of the process.

A FEW VAGUE LEGALITIES

In many localities workers comp attorney fees would come from your award, which is already preset by the statues. Unlike civil product liability cases you can not get a plaintiff's award plus the attorney fees. The local commission and legislature set worker compensation rates. You can not get more then what has been legislated.

Citations from OSHA do not automatically mean that an injury happen. Frequently a citation is negotiated away or amount lowered. The citation could be because they asked a random employee in a hallway questions about a hazard-mitigating plan that the employee could not answer.

EwwThat'sNasty · Jun 14, 2009

Hmmm....

"NIOSH considers asbestos (i.e., actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and tremolite) to be a potential occupational carcinogen and recommends that exposures be reduced to the lowest possible concentration."

Very funny statement if that comes from NIOSH. "Amosite" stands for "Asbestos Mines of South Africa" The large jute bags that this form (usually fibrous cummington-grunnerite solid solution series asbesiform minerals) were labeled with the large letters AMOSA, over time it come to be called amosite. Amosite is not a mineral name.

In response to the question. I have never heard of any form of asbestos causing a skin rash, nor a fast respiratory response.

Occasionally impact with ACM (Asbestos Containing Materials) can cause "bundles" of fibers to become literally stuck in the skin. (Fiberglass can do this also) These act as irritants and can actually look wart-like.

Since you had an allergic reaction, and respiratory reaction what I might suspect is that since ACM is removed wet, that the hot, damp atmosphere created a comfortable growth zone for a fungus or mold. If you are allergic to that fungus or mold then yes, you could have both allergic dermatitis and an internal allergic response within your respiratory tract.

I would contact a laboratory that samples for mold/spores/funges, and ask how to take some "wipe" samples, to be looked at for spores/mold. It may be as simple as damp wiping ledges in areas where the work was done, or where you were exposed. If you wanted to bother if mold/fungus spores were evident it could be cultured, given to an allegy specialist who would patch test you confirming (or not) sensitivity to the allergin.

But asbestos itself, it is so inert that as far as I know it caues no rash.

A sad bit of history... The AMOSA (mines of SA) used to have local children jump into the partially filled bags of asbestiform materials to pack it down.... If it caused a rash or quick respiratory response this practice would have ended, but as far as I know it continued for a very long time.

Tanys · Nov 23, 2009

I'm responding to say that Yes i believe that you can get a nasty rash from exposure to Asbestos!

I bought a house with my partner 6 months ago & started renovating 3 months ago when i developed a nasty rash on both my forearms (above my wrists) & a little behind my knees & a little above my ancles but the worst reaction was on my arms.

i used to get phsoryasis on my face & arms from stress but i assumed this rash was the same but as it got worse & the reaction looked very different to the phsoryasis i went to the doctors.

My house is an old asbestos house & my partner & i have been re-doing all the inside walls & roof so i think that this rash is from the asbestos. I have not proven this yet but my doctor has prescribed me steroids to supress the reaction & will be collecting samples of all the things currently being used & things i'm exposed to at home so that i can go to the doctors & find which one it is that is giving me this reaction.

I suggest you go to the doctors & see what they can do i have had skin samples taken as well blood tests this tells me im having an allergic reaction but not what its is exactly im allergic too but all i ,can say is i lived in that house for 3 months befor we started renovating & i never had the rash!