H&S Resource Center · Exposure Pathway
Household (Take-Home) Exposure
Could asbestos have come home on a family member’s clothing?
Exposure to fibers carried home from work on clothing, shoes, tools, or vehicles.
A lead is not proof. A listed occupation, industry, product, company or work setting does not establish that asbestos exposure occurred in any individual case. The purpose of these relationships is to identify areas that may deserve careful historical investigation.
Common scenarios
Laundrygreeting workercleaning tools or vehicles
Related occupations
Family members of industrial workers
Related industries
Powershipbuildingconstructionrefineries
Related products
Workplace dust transferred to household
Related facilities
Homesgaragesvehicles
Memory prompts
Who washed clothes? Where were boots stored?
Evidence sources to look for
Family interviewsoccupational recordsphotographs
Related H&S resources
Industry
Power Generation
Electric generating facilities historically used heat-resistant insulation and sealing materials.
Industry
Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
Ship construction and overhaul historically involved extensive thermal insulation and machinery maintenance.
Exposure Pathway
Occupational Asbestos Exposure
Exposure arising from work tasks or nearby disturbance of asbestos-containing materials.
Sources and source transparency
- Asbestos and Health: Frequently Asked Questions — Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
- Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Humpleby & Strauss separates documented facts, reported history, possible relationships and matters that still require investigation. General information cannot determine exposure, causation, liability or legal eligibility in an individual matter.