What job requires working near abestos?

I am writing a play. I am doing research on mesothelioma which is a cancer caused by asbestos. My question is does anyone know what job a person would have to have in order to come in direct contact with this substance. I know you can get it from other things such as washing clothes of someone who has been exposed to it but I mean direct contact. Also if anyone knows, I need to know– if you get it from washing someones clothes does that mean that the person who wore the clothes has mesothelioma to?

Definitely Construction work and or Demolition work. Some tile work. however asbestos is only prominent in older buildings.

Working with Dr. Manhattan I'm sure.

From Wikopedia:

"The word asbestos (ἄσβεστος) is derived from a Greek adjective meaning inextinguishable. The Greeks termed asbestos the miracle mineral because of its soft and pliant properties, as well as its ability to withstand heat.

Asbestos is toxic…many uses of asbestos have been banned in several countries.

Asbestos became increasingly popular among manufacturers and builders in the late 19th century because of its resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damage, its sound absorption and tensile strength. when asbestos is used for its resistance to fire or heat, the fibers are often mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats. Asbestos was used in some products for its heat resistance, and in the past was used on electric oven and hotplate wiring for its electrical insulation at elevated temperature, and in buildings for its flame-retardant and insulating properties, tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to chemicals.

… and the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder noted that the material damaged lungs of slaves who wove it into cloth.[5]Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, is said to have had a tablecloth made of asbestos….

…Some of the Persians believed the fiber was fur from an animal (named samandar, Persian: سمندر) that lived in fire and died when exposed to water

…Asbestos became more widespread during the industrial revolution; in the 1860s it was used as insulation in the U.S. and Canada. Development of the first commercial asbestos mine began in 1879 in the Appalachian foothills of Quebec.[12] by the mid 20th century uses included fire retardant coatings, concrete, bricks, pipes and fireplace cement, heat, fire, and acid resistant gaskets, pipe insulation, ceiling insulation, fireproof drywall, flooring, roofing, lawn furniture, and drywall joint compound.[7]

Approximately 100,000 people in the United States have died, or will die, from asbestos exposure related to ship building.

…Kent, the first filtered cigarette on the market, used crocidolite asbestos in its "Micronite" filter from 1952 to 1956…

The United States government and asbestos industry have been criticized for not acting quickly enough to inform the public of dangers, and to reduce public exposure. in the late 1970s court documents proved that asbestos industry officials knew of asbestos dangers since the 1930's and had concealed them from the public.[12]

In Japan, particularly after World War II, asbestos was used in the manufacture of ammonium sulfate for purposes of rice production, sprayed upon the ceilings, iron skeletons, and walls of railroad cars and buildings (during the 1960s), and used for energy efficiency reasons as well. Production of asbestos in Japan peaked in 1974 and went through ups and downs until about 1990, when production began to drop severely."

Hope this helps. I'm not sure what kind of play you're writing. if it's something that takes place in the past you could surely use some of the historical background; at the least you can see how the ancients thought of it. in present day, your character might be a construction worker, a ship builder, or maybe a smoker with the Kent cigarette mentioned. Or maybe a firefighter who's exposed to the asbestos in the older buildings, or third-world countries' buildings, while they're crippling; it would compliment the translation (inextinguishable). But I dunno, I just write historical fantasy.

And to answer your other question, given the information I know of, I would imagine that the other person would have the cancer as well.

Asbestos Handler. Basically their job is to simply remove it from older buildings. I've had family remove it from the twin towers, after 9/11 for about 6 months later because the asbestos fibers were everywhere.

Here is a site with useful information regard mesothelioma and asbetos.

http://www.PeritonealMesotheliomaSupport.com

Also, another great resource is there are asbestos handler unions in which you must complete courses in order to handle this dangerous substance.

What job requires working near abestos?