Can we request/require a new hire to sign an asbestos exposure statement?

ray emser

We are an industrial insulation firm. We have a strict policy regarding asbestos avoidance and what to do if our crew encounters asbestos. Are we withn our rights to ask a new hire to sign a form stating whether or not he/she has encountered asbestos prior to employment with our company? We would specifically state that whether or not the employee had been exposed would not be a condition of continued employment. We merely want to avoid having an employee who had been exposed (for several years, unprotected, with another company) sue us for asbestos exposure. I would appreciate input on this issue. We want to protect ourselves but don't want to infringe on our employee's rights.

Mike Maslanka

how would the employee know if they had been exposed?perhaps it would be better to have them list *all* prior employers ,,,mike maslanka

Theresa Gegen TX

Also, you can have them describe their job duties at the prior employers. Then later on, if they sue based on exposure, you can use that information to show that they had previous exposures.