Due to its widespread use in construction and manufacturing, asbestos made its way into many products and structures across America and put many people at risk of contracting mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.

Those who worked directly with products with asbestos in previous decades are most at risk for suffering from mesothelioma, but even those who worked indirectly with asbestos can begin to show mesothelioma symptoms.

The following are occupations with a high risk of workplace asbestos exposure:

People in these occupations may also put their family and friends at risk by coming home with asbestos fibers on their clothing, skin and hair—unknowingly spreading the cancer-causing asbestos to others. Despite the fact that these friends and family members never worked directly with asbestos, this inadvertent exposure can lead to a diagnosis of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases.

Thousands of workers have filed mesothelioma lawsuits against the companies who manufactured asbestos products they worked with. These workers have alleged that they were not properly warned about the dangers of asbestos.