If you have a business that requires employees to handle asbestos, then your employees should understand the risks of the job. However, you could still face a lawsuit because one of your employees was exposed to asbestos and is now experiencing mesothelioma and other illnesses. The lawsuit may claim that you didn’t provide an employee with the necessary tools and training to protect themself from asbestos exposure.
However, an employee’s exposure to asbestos may have been their own fault. Here’s why that may be:
Was an employee informed about asbestos exposure?
You may be required to inform your employees about the possible exposure to asbestos on the job under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This may also mean educating employees about the dangers of asbestos exposure and how their long-term health may be affected if they do not take the necessary steps to protect themselves. By ignoring this training, employees may expose themselves to asbestos.
Did an employee wear the correct safety gear?
Your employees may be required to demolish roads, homes, ships and cars. Many of these things contain asbestos. For example, many older homes used asbestos as insulation. Asbestos was also used in wallpaper, flooring, countertops and roofing materials. If an employee is required to tear down a home, then they should use the correct safety gear.
This means you may need to provide respirators and suits to employees so they can minimize their asbestos exposure. Employees who don’t use safety gear have a higher chance of developing an asbestos-related disease.
Did an employee take precautions after working with asbestos?
Even after using protective gear, employees could expose themselves to asbestos. It’s important that employees remove their gear and thoroughly clean themselves after working with asbestos. Ignoring this step could lead to asbestos exposure and expose others to second-hand asbestos exposure. A trained employee who uses their equipment may be less likely to develop asbestos-related diseases.
Defending against an asbestos lawsuit is not easy. Good documentation is important. It is wise to get experienced legal guidance.