We’ve talked before on the blog about the number of asbestos materials used within military vehicles and vessels, but what about the cars that people drive on U.S. roads every day? Asbestos has been worked into brake linings and pads, clutch facings, and various gaskets for automobiles of all kinds and can still be found within cars, trucks, and auto parts available on the store shelves.
While driving a car does not put you at risk for asbestos exposure, performing maintenance or restoration to these asbestos-containing parts does. Professional and home automobile mechanics are all at high risk for asbestos exposure and the asbestos-related diseases that can follow.
There are rules and regulations regarding the handling of asbestos within auto shops, but those guidelines are not always followed. It is often the case that asbestos fibers come to rest on a mechanic’s clothing, where it travels home with the worker to his or her family. In the case of home mechanics, the danger of second-hand exposure to a family member is amplified.
See the Auto Mechanics page on our website for more information on the risks of asbestos exposure for professional and home mechanics. If you are already feeling the effects of an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma due to your work as an auto mechanic, do not hesitate to contact our attorneys that are experienced in handling cases like your own.