Auto Mechanics and Asbestos Exposure
The risk to auto mechanics of exposure to asbestos has been well documented. Vehicle components such as brake linings, clutch facings, and gaskets in models older than 1990 almost certainly contain asbestos, and manufacturers were still selling asbestos brakes as late as the 2000s. Routine maintenance on these vehicles, involving brake and clutch inspection, cleaning, and repair often releases asbestos fibers into the air, especially when compressed air or dry brushes and rags are used to clean off the dust that has accumulated during years of use. Such cleaning methods blow the asbestos-containing dust up into the surrounding environment, where it is breathed in by anyone standing or working close by. So if you worked in an automotive garage or repair facility but weren’t working directly with brakes, clutches or gaskets, you may still have been exposed to asbestos dust from them.
Asbestos fibers can hang in the air for days, weeks, and sometimes months, and even those who don’t work directly with the contaminated products are at risk of breathing in the airborne fibers, which can then become embedded in the tissue of the lungs. This is especially true in the harsh New England climate where doors and windows are rarely left open in the winter to allow for air circulation.
Although the use of asbestos in automotive friction and gasket products has decreased, these products are a substantial source of potential exposure even today. As a result, auto mechanics, automotive technicians, and at-home DIY mechanics and tinkerers, who work on brakes and clutches are considered to be at increased risk for developing lung cancer and mesothelioma due to asbestos. We urge anyone working around these types of friction products to remain vigilant about their lung health.
Smoking + Asbestos Exposure Increases Your Risk of Lung Cancer
We all know that smoking is the greatest risk factor for lung cancer. But, according to the National Cancer Institute, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure exponentially increases your risk of developing lung cancer. The synergistic effect of smoking plus asbestos exposure puts auto mechanics who also smoke(d) at a much higher risk for developing lung cancer than the individual risk factors added together. If you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer, whether due to smoking, asbestos exposure, or both, we urge you to stop smoking right away. If you need help to quit, the American Lung Association has many available resources.
I’m an Auto Mechanic, How Can I Protect Myself?
When you remove a brake disk, drum, clutch cover, or wheel from a vehicle you can see the dust that has collected, but it’s virtually impossible to tell just by looking if that dust contains asbestos. If you’re working on a newer vehicle OSHA recommends that you consult the manufacturer, the parts retailers, and packaging information, to determine whether or not your brake or clutch components contain asbestos. However, that information might not be readily available for older vehicles. As a best practice, OSHA recommends that mechanics should assume that all brakes have asbestos-type shoes. Although home mechanics are not required to follow OSHA regulations, if you are a DIY-er, we encourage you to take your brake and clutch jobs to a professional.
Can I Get Financial Compensation for My Lung Cancer?
Many people, especially those who are or were smokers, don’t consider that the onset of their lung cancer could have been caused or exacerbated by asbestos exposure. If you worked with automotive friction or gasket products at any point in your job history, we encourage you to call us to help you determine if your lung cancer was caused by exposure to asbestos. You might be entitled to financial compensation.
Manufacturers of asbestos-containing products that knowingly exposed workers to this harmful material should be held accountable, as should tobacco companies. We have helped hundreds of individuals and families obtain justice for their injuries, regularly obtaining settlements and verdicts in the millions.
Shepard O’Donnell is currently accepting cases for people living with lung cancer due to smoking and asbestos exposure that took place mainly in Massachusetts.
