Secondhand Exposure at Home

Before protective rules became common, many workers wore their work clothes home. Dust clung to shirts, pants, hair, boots and lunch pails. It settled in cars and on furniture. Someone in the household, often a wife or mother, shook out and washed those clothes, sometimes daily for years. Children played near laundry areas or greeted a parent at the door. Each of these moments could release fibers into the air. Because this exposure repeated so often, it could add up over time. Some families also recall shaking dusty clothes outside or storing them in the basement.

Spouses, particularly women who did the household laundry, are among the most common secondhand exposure patients. Adult children who grew up in homes of shipyard workers, insulators, mechanics or construction workers are also diagnosed. In some cases, family members were exposed through visits to a workplace or living near a plant. The disease develops the same way and follows the same diagnostic process. The main difference is that the exposure history centers on someone else's job. Some patients do not learn about their exposure source until a relative mentions a parent's old job. Doctors should hear about any such connection as soon as it surfaces.

The worker whose job caused the exposure may have died or may not remember details. Families can reconstruct the history from memories, photographs, union cards, pay stubs, Social Security earnings records and military documents. Former coworkers can sometimes confirm what products were used. Write down the worker's employers, job titles and years, along with where the family lived and who did the laundry. This information supports both an accurate medical record and any claim, which can be brought for take-home exposure in many situations. Keep all of this information in one place for easy sharing.

1. 1

   List the relative's employers, job titles and years that overlapped with your time in the household.

2. 2

   Write down who handled work clothes and how laundry was done in your home.

3. 3

   Gather photos, union cards or pay records that show the relative's work history.

4. 4

   Tell your doctor specifically that your exposure came through a family member's job.