The key point from multiple sources is that no level of asbestos exposure is considered completely safe or without risk. Even very low or brief exposures can potentially cause serious health issues such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.
Asbestos Exposure Limits and Safety
- Regulatory bodies like OSHA set a permissible exposure limit at 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air averaged over an 8-hour period, but stress that this is not a safe level, only a regulatory limit. Any exposure can carry substantial health risks.
- A cumulative dose of as low as 17 to 75 fibers per year per milliliter of air can cause lung damage, and 3.5 to 300 fibers per year per milliliter can be fatal.
- Brief or short-term asbestos exposure is generally less harmful than chronic exposure, but still poses risks that can manifest after many years due to latency periods.
Health Risks from Exposure
- The diseases caused by asbestos, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer, can develop after long latency periods of 10 to 40 years post-exposure.
- Mesothelioma can be caused by very small amounts of asbestos, even from secondary exposure such as asbestos dust brought home on workers' clothing.
- Long-term and higher levels of exposure greatly increase the risk of serious and often fatal health conditions.
Conclusion
No amount of asbestos exposure is truly safe. Even small or brief exposures carry risk for developing severe illnesses. Regulations aim to minimize exposure as much as possible, and any contact with asbestos should be carefully managed to prevent inhalation of fibers.
Thus, asbestos exposure is dangerous at any level, and minimizing exposure is critical for health.