There are two types of asbestos fibers. The other is deadly. I like the use of the term Volunteers. Do they know the risk ? It is illegal to knowingly expose someone to. It has been used since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans and was prized for its heat resistant properties.
After World War II, the asbestos industry in the US grew dramatically. According to the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) , in that time over 100schools and 700public and commercial buildings used asbestos for insulation, decoration and fireproofing. See full list on naturalhandyman. According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), more than of the land area and much of the drinking water of the US contains some level of naturally occurring asbestos. Asbestos is literally everywhere!
So why this year love affair? It exists in microscopic fibers of varying sizes. When mixed with other materials, it passes on its insulating properties while adding its fibrous strength.
Even the brightest clouds have a dark lining an with asbestos , the dark lining was within the human lung. We know now what they did not know then. Though the connection is less strong, many physicians believe that cancers of the digestive system and other organs may be related to the ingestion of asbestos through contaminated food and water supplies. Studies also show a deadly connection between asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking.
In my research for this article, I stumbled across a medical questionnaire from OSHA for employees in the asbestos industry. Almost a third of the form deals with cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking habits and history emphasizing the serious nature of this interaction. Currently, most Federal regulation involves the handling and disposal of asbestos currently in use.
You need not worry that you will accidentally purchase a product containing asbestos. It occurs in a number of different forms and the risks posed by them vary considerably. Crocidolite and amosite asbestos , known as amphibole asbestos , are the most dangerous forms. This long term irritation to body tissue can lead to disease and death.
Fortunately, these forms of asbestos have been banned for years though some may still exist in older homes. Even if airborne, many studies of asbestos workers indicate that it takes more than a casual exposure to asbestos dust to cause disease. Chrysotile asbestos , a less toxic form, comprises over of all the asbestos used in the US. In the early days of asbestos abatement, the conventional wisdom was that it should be completely removed from buildings and schools.
This helter skelter removal increased the problem as the dangerous hard-to-control asbestos dust got into literally everything. Modern techniques generally call for sealing or encapsulating the asbestos so that it cannot release fibers into the atmosphere. Only when the asbestos cannot be seale or in the cases of renovation or demolition, is removal considered a reasonable option. Though not intended for residential use, it may provide some useful information for homeowners. What are the risks of asbestos exposure?
Who is most at risk from asbestos at work? How is asbestos an environmental problem? Where is asbestos exposure most likely to occur?
In fact, asbestos containing material is not generally considered to be harmful unless it is releasing dust or fibers into the air where they can be inhaled or ingested. Many of the fibers will become trapped in the mucous membranes of the nose and throat where they can then be remove but some may pass deep into the lungs, or, if swallowe into the digestive tract. Once they are trapped in the body, the fibers can cause health problems.
Sprayed on asbestos insulation is highly friable. If an asbestos ceiling tile is drilled or broken, for example, it may release fibers into the air. If it is left alone and not disturbe it will not. Damage and deterioration will increase the friability of asbestos -containing materials.
They remain in place where they can cause disease. For more information on asbestos -related cancers, contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society. Inhaled asbestos fibers aggravate lung tissues, which cause them to scar. Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling. In its advanced stages, the disease may cause cardiac failure.
Lung cancer causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent chest pains, hoarseness, and anemia. Those who renovate or demolish buildings that contain asbestos may be at significant risk , depending on the nature of the exposure and precautions taken. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that most often occurs in the thin membrane lining of the lungs, chest, abdomen, and (rarely) heart. About 2cases are diagnosed each year in the United States.
Virtually all cases of mesothelioma are linked with asbestos exposure. Approximately percent of all miners and textile workers who work with asbestos , and percent of all workers who were involved in the manufacture of asbestos -containing gas masks, contract mesothelioma. People who work in asbestos mines, asbestos mills and factories, and shipyards that use asbestos , as well as people who manufacture and install asbestos insulation, have an increased risk of mesothelioma. So do people who live with asbestos workers, near asbestos mining areas, near asbestos product factories or near shipyards where use of asbestos has produced large quantities of airborne asbestos fibers.
Because each exposure to asbestos increases the body burden of asbestos fibers, it is very important to reduce and minimize your exposure. While a few of the studies analyzed here have examined the risk of lung cancer and non-cancerous respiratory conditions, most of the research focuses on the risk of pleural mesothelioma. Cancers caused by asbestos exposure include: Mesothelioma: This is a rare and incurable cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs or abdomen. LR = in 170) in other ‘medium risk ’ industries where asbestos may be encountered. Communities and companies around the country have been spending millions of dollars in a race to remove the lethal stuff.
Examine the condition of the tiles: Intact asbestos tiles are not a major risk and can, in fact, be left in place and covered with other materials such as carpet, vinyl, linoleum or concrete. To estimate the association between mesothelioma and non-occupational asbestos exposure, and evaluate control recruitment and exposure. Tiles that are disintegrating should be.