Hello everyone!

My brother, a friend and I have been into a place perhaps probably contaminated with asbestos. We were wearing a 3M half mask with 2097 P100 3M filters, with our normals clothes.

But we read about secondary contamination and we were wondering fearing if we could have contaminated our car (or even our house)?

My brother and I have changed our clothes and shoes before entering the car, but we only take our shower once at home. On other hand, our friend wich didn't have other clothing, got in the car like this anyways.

How much do we risk on our health for that kind of situation?

How can we clean up the car/home properly if needed?

If someone can advice us on that I would be really grateful

Thank you for reading

I've gone exploring in abandonments filled with asbestos more then a handful of times without a respirator or mask and then went home and layed in my bed with my exploring clothes. I'm sure I have consumed plenty too by eating food between spots without washing my hands. Also I have layed down on floors of places that I am sure had lead flakes and mold spores a hand full of times too! Asbestos are something to learn to love or if you want to avoid cancer just quit UE.

Avoid heavily contaminated areas.
Don't stir up dust, don't go on dry, windy days.
If you changed clothes the amount you drag in on your body is minimal.
Keep the respirator on until the clothes are bagged.
You have to eat a lot of asbestos normally for it to cause disease.
Risk from a one time secondary exposure isn't worth worrying about and fear is only a useful emotion with immediate real time danger, not this.
If you're still concerned, the biggest risk for developing disease from asbestos exposure is smoking; don't smoke. *lites cigar*

Many people have been exposed to asbestos, and almost everyone has ingested at least a couple microscopic fibers; it's almost everywhere.
Few will ever suffer any disease at this level and will die from other causes.

Clean up if you want can be done with a shop vac with a HEPA filter or for the car just a car wash vac. That's overkill.

Posted by smokedguadacheese I've gone exploring in abandonments filled with asbestos more then a handful of times without a respirator or mask and then went home and layed in my bed with my exploring clothes. I'm sure I have consumed plenty too by eating food between spots without washing my hands. Also I have layed down on floors of places that I am sure had lead flakes and mold spores a hand full of times too! Asbestos are something to learn to love or if you want to avoid cancer just quit UE.

This x100

Thanks a lot for your replies

I guess my fear was fed up more by paranoia than reason after all.
I was afraid to get ill, but also to infect my boyfriend who live in my house and friends and family who get in my car.

But your point of view help me to calm down a bit.
However, I think I will clean up everything anyways, just because "overkill" seems to be comforting (and more respectfull to my relative wich doesnt ask to breathe shite like this on purpose)

fear is only a useful emotion with immediate real time danger, not this.

-> Thanks also for saying this. It is helpful to me for this situation in particular, but I'm pretty sure it will help me for further one if I achieve to keep it in mind. Since I'm the kind of person that spend too much time freaking out about the wrong things.

Shorty worked a part time job at Congoleum unloading 60 pound bails of asbestos from rail cars for 7 or so years. Each day he wore his work clothes home and his wife washed them. He dragged a lot of asbestos home. He died from mesothelioma at 72 some 30 years after long history of high exposure.
His wife was a heavy smoker who developed lung cancer at 63, but was cured. She lived to be 87.
His two children never develop any asbestos related diseases, one is still living and she's in her 60s.

There was tons more asbestos in that house from just of one of Shorty's workdays than you could have possibly brought home.
Vacuum, forget it, and be more careful the next time.

At most sites unless you stir up dust, the risk is minimal even without a respirator. Not all pipe insulation is asbestos... some are fiber glass or ceramic. Beware were pipe insulation has been stripped by scrappers. I've seen hundreds of pounds of asbestos insulation laying broken in heat tunnels like this.

Yes we have read many people here that don't care.

Will they get sick from it? Maybe but we don't know as the exposure and the illness can be years apart.

The best is to do as much as you can to not get it in your body but you can't of course bring a shower and such to the place.

Try to use common sense.

Posted by SuchundFind The best is to do as much as you can to not get it in your body but you can't of course bring a shower and such to the place.

Showering has little to do with it. It's primarily an inhalation hazard.
Wear safety glasses.
Cover your hair.
One time Tyvex suit with hood sealed with tape at hands and boots... you really want to go to sites with asbestos snow storms?

I've seen asbestos blowing down street outside the Sun refinery in Marcus Hook. I know it was asbestos because I was blasting the pipe and hit the insulation. It happen every now and then... and it exploded into the air in millions of pieces of a white cloud of dust. I used an air hood and a respirator out of the hood, no one else did.
Through the fence it blew and down the street it went... circa 1982.

I've worked with asbestos siding... oh my. Not really, just don't go making a mess and go mashing it up.

Most people have to suck up a lot of asbestos to get stricken by it. One or a couple heavy exposure could do it but probably not. Heavy exposure; nose clogged with fibers ie Steve McQueen.

...........why are you making another account again?

We didnt touch or play with things that was there except for some doors that we opened slowly and we were really calm, so if I believe your example, our situation is probably less dramatic than I thought after all

I will follow your advices and be more carefull the next time for sure

you really want to go to sites with asbestos snow storms?

->
ha ha, nope this kind of settings does not really appeal me at all XD
But I think I could totally wear a full disposable suit the next time anyways, even if it's overkill, just to shut down my anxiety.

Thank again guys for your replies and informations I do feel better now by reading all this!

...........why are you making another account again?

-> Is that a question for me? Because it is my first account here

Blackhawk pretty much summed it up. Inhalation is really the primary risk and a good P rated filter will stop that right off. Considering the different methods of spraying/installing/etc not to mention whatever ambient crud might be there, I always spend the extra few bucks to get an oil rated filter. (if there's oils in the air, it won't clog as easily as a regular filter)

Kinda sucks to get deep in a building only to realize your filters are clogged and you have to go back without them.

For secondary stuff, at minimum I'd wear a good set of rugged but semi disposable gloves. Atlas makes some great sets that run $2 or so but are tough as hell. That way you aren't getting your hands coated in fibers in case you need to deglove and scratch your nose or wipe your eyes or something.

Tyvek booties are optional, but if you hose your shoes when you get home, you'll remove 99% of it anyhow. Just don't go into the blizzard and you'll be fine.

But like everything in exploring, play it smart. Also any advice should be taken with a grain of salt since every situation is different.

Thanks

I will check this out for this extra gears

For the mask I already have a 3M half mask with 2097 P100 3M filters
http://multimedia....lter-2097-p100.pdf

Is that good? Or should I check for other brands or models?

Posted by Skyler Blue Thanks I will check this out for this extra gears For the mask I already have a 3M half mask with 2097 P100 3M filters http://multimedia....lter-2097-p100.pdf Is that good? Or should I check for other brands or models?

It needs to be fit tested...

Posted by blackhawk It needs to be fit tested...

This. When you inhale if it doesn't have a good tested fit, it'll just suck air through the weak spot in the seal instead of through the filters.

It's why I have to use full face rigs (North 7600) since a half mask won't get a good seal. The only other real option is a positive pressure PAPR hood since it is always venting out through the seals. But those are noisy and need batteries.

<Off topic>

Hey Blackhawk, any thoughts on the continuous air modifications some manufacturers are putting out? North does the CF2000 SAR kit for my full face that lets you plug it into a PAPR or can through the filter threads. Been thinking about it for some projects where filters would get in the way. Just got to route the Y hose over my shoulder.

Posted by DarkAngel This. When you inhale if it doesn't have a good tested fit, it'll just suck air through the weak spot in the seal instead of through the filters. It's why I have to use full face rigs (North 7600) since a half mask won't get a good seal. The only other real option is a positive pressure PAPR hood since it is always venting out through the seals. But those are noisy and need batteries. <Off topic> Hey Blackhawk, any thoughts on the continuous air modifications some manufacturers are putting out? North does the CF2000 SAR kit for my full face that lets you plug it into a PAPR or can through the filter threads. Been thinking about it for some projects where filters would get in the way. Just got to route the Y hose over my shoulder.

The CF2000 is pretty slick. LI batteries are the way to go. These cheap ass companies out here don't use anything so nice.
Try looking on ebay from time to time: http://m.ebay.com/...l?_nkw=papr&_pgn=1

Lately I haven't needed to wear one to work, for which I'm glad.
This 3M one is wild, I like.
Lol, they spot you in this they'll probably send a SWAT team in.

Oh, that is nice. I'll have to look that up