By Asbestos exposure is a recognized cause of lung cancer, and the people most heavily exposed have historically been workers who handled asbestos products or worked near them. Although asbestos use has declined significantly in the United States, it remains in many older buildings, ships, and industrial facilities. Workers who repair, renovate, or demolish these structures may still encounter it today, and people who worked in high-risk trades decades ago may only now be developing disease.
This article reviews occupations commonly associated with asbestos exposure, explains why certain jobs carried more risk, and outlines steps current and former workers can take to protect their health.
Why some jobs carry higher risk
Lung cancer risk from asbestos is generally associated with the amount of fiber inhaled and the length of exposure. Certain occupations involved frequent, prolonged contact with asbestos-containing materials, often in enclosed spaces with limited ventilation.
Direct handling of materials
Workers who installed, cut, mixed, or removed asbestos products were often exposed to high fiber levels. Tasks such as sawing insulation board, mixing cement, or tearing out old pipe wrap could release large amounts of dust.
Working near others
Bystander exposure was also common. Workers in one trade could inhale fibers released by another trade working nearby, especially on busy construction sites, in ship compartments, or in plant boiler rooms.
Smoking and workplace exposure
Many workers in these trades also smoked. The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is associated with a much greater lung cancer risk than either factor alone.
Construction and building trades
Construction workers make up one of the largest groups exposed to asbestos, both historically and today.
Insulators
Insulation workers who installed or removed pipe, boiler, and building insulation have long been recognized as among the most heavily exposed groups. Many older insulation products contained high percentages of asbestos.
Carpenters and drywall workers
Carpenters, drywall installers, and finishers could be exposed through joint compound, ceiling tiles, wallboard, and other materials. Sanding joint compound in older buildings was a significant source of dust.
Roofers and flooring installers
Some roofing felts, shingles, and cements contained asbestos, as did vinyl floor tiles and the adhesives used to install them. Removing these materials during renovation can still release fibers.
Demolition and renovation workers
Workers who demolish or remodel older structures may encounter asbestos in many forms. Without proper testing and controls, these jobs can produce substantial exposure.
Mechanical and industrial trades
Trades that work with heating, piping, and electrical systems often encounter asbestos insulation and components.
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Pipes in older buildings and industrial facilities were frequently wrapped in asbestos insulation. Cutting, repairing, or replacing these pipes exposed many workers.
Boilermakers
Boilers and the materials used to insulate and seal them often contained asbestos. Boilermakers who built, repaired, or dismantled boilers worked in close contact with these materials.
Electricians
Electricians could be exposed through wire insulation, electrical panels, and by drilling through asbestos-containing walls and ceilings to run wiring.
Power plant and refinery workers
Power plants, chemical plants, and refineries used asbestos widely for heat protection. Maintenance workers and operators in these facilities could be exposed during routine repairs and shutdowns.
Shipbuilding and transportation
Shipyards and transportation industries relied heavily on asbestos for heat and fire resistance.
Shipyard workers
Ships built through much of the twentieth century contained asbestos in engine rooms, boiler rooms, pipes, and bulkheads. Shipyard workers who built, repaired, or scrapped vessels often worked in confined spaces with heavy dust.
Automotive mechanics
Brake pads, brake linings, and clutches once commonly contained asbestos. Mechanics who blew out brake dust or ground brake parts may have been exposed. Some imported or aftermarket parts may still contain asbestos.
Railroad workers
Locomotives, rail cars, and repair facilities used asbestos insulation and components, exposing workers who maintained them.
Manufacturing and mining
Some of the heaviest historical exposures occurred where asbestos was mined or turned into finished products.
Asbestos product manufacturing
Workers in plants that produced insulation, cement pipe, roofing, textiles, gaskets, and brake parts handled raw asbestos fiber daily. Dust levels in these facilities were often very high before modern controls were introduced.
Mining and milling
Workers who mined and processed asbestos, as well as those in some vermiculite and talc mining operations where asbestos was a contaminant, faced significant exposure. Residents of nearby communities were sometimes affected as well.
Textile and paper mill workers
Asbestos was woven into heat-resistant fabrics and used in some industrial papers and felts. Workers who operated or maintained this equipment may have inhaled fibers released during processing.
Building maintenance and public safety
Some exposure occurs in jobs that are not traditionally thought of as industrial.
Custodians and maintenance staff
Workers who maintain older schools, offices, and apartment buildings may disturb asbestos when repairing ceilings, floors, or mechanical systems.
Firefighters
Firefighters can be exposed when older buildings burn or collapse, releasing asbestos fibers from damaged materials.
Teachers and school staff
Many schools built before the 1980s contain asbestos in floor tiles, ceilings, and pipe insulation. Teachers and staff are generally at lower risk than trades workers, but damaged materials or renovation work during the school year can create exposure if not properly managed.
Protecting current and former workers
Workers in these occupations can take steps to reduce risk and support early detection.
On the job today
Before disturbing materials in older structures, workers should confirm whether testing has been done. Federal and state rules generally require training, protective equipment, and safe work practices when asbestos may be present.
For former workers
People who worked in high-risk trades should tell their healthcare providers about past exposure and smoking history. Symptoms such as a lingering cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath deserve evaluation. Keeping a record of employers, job sites, and dates can be useful for medical care and for any future legal or benefits claims.
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