Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

Asbestos in Older Buildings Still Potential Threat to Workers

A naturally occurring mineral that has been used for thousands of years, asbestos is composed of pliable and durable fibers that exhibit heat and fire-resistant characteristics. Asbestos is cheap and easy to mine from the earth, as deposits of asbestos have been mined throughout the world in myriad countries. The United States is no exception and is home to some of the world’s largest naturally occurring asbestos deposits.

Playing a major role in a number of industries, asbestos was regularly used in trains, ships and shipyards, textiles, automotives, and construction materials, to name a few. The toxic chemical was most commonly used for insulation purposes in residential and commercial buildings, boiler and engine rooms aboard ships and trains, and as a protective covering on pipes and plumbing. However, asbestos was rampantly used in construction materials such as floor and ceiling tiles, adhesives, cements, siding, roofing, pipeline wrap, and shingles.

Because of this widespread use, asbestos can be found in millions of structures throughout the country. Many independent business lease space in older buildings that are contaminated with asbestos, and in most cases these independent business are not even informed of the state of contamination. If the asbestos is aging and has not been remediated, workers in these older buildings could potentially be exposed to asbestos.

Where to Spot and How to Avoid Asbestos

Knowing where to find and how to spot asbestos is essential in avoiding this toxic substance. Throughout the late 1800s, momentous innovation in the application of asbestos was seen in an array of products. By the 1930s, the United States experienced a boom in asbestos usage, which peaked in the ’60s and ’70s and quickly dropped as evidence of its hazard to human health emerged. An exceptional insulator, asbestos was valued for its heat and fire resistance. In fact, asbestos was so praised that more than 3,000 products are estimated to have contained asbestos.

Since most structures built before the 1980s contain asbestos, it is important to know the common places to find asbestos in order to spot and avoid exposure. Spotting asbestos products that are not clearly labeled is practically impossible with the human eye, so testing is the only way to know if a product contains asbestos. Make sure not to sample the product yourself, which comes with the risk of releasing asbestos fibers into the air. Rather, hire a professional to take a sample for testing. Some possible sources of asbestos in homes include the following:

· Tile and sheet vinyl flooring (adhesives applied in flooring also contained asbestos)

· Roofing materials, such as tiles, felt, and adhesives

· Textured plaster used in acoustical ceiling treatment (and decoratively along walls and ceilings)

· Sheet products: millboard, rollboard, and others

· Joint compounds and plaster used to patch holes and seams

· Insulation: including wall insulation, pipe covering, electrical tape and wadding, and in stoves and furnaces

 

Natural Disasters and Asbestos Exposure

Some of the biggest concerns after a natural disaster include availability of water and electricity, road access, and cleanup efforts, as well as financial, environmental, and human losses. Emergency management crews are trained to handle a vast variety of events and potential hazards, but few are trained on how to handle the threat of asbestos exposure in the wake of a natural disaster.

Countless products in schools, homes, theaters, office buildings, industrial and commercial sites, and other structures are known to contain asbestos. When left intact and in good condition, these products pose little to no harm. But once they are disturbed by a natural disaster, the contaminated products can release toxic asbestos fibers into the air and water supply.

After a natural disaster like that of a hurricane or tornado, restoring damaged areas to pre-disaster conditions often involves removing or repairing damaged structures. Tornados and hurricanes are considered some of the most damaging natural disasters on the planet, and these natural occurrences can damage lingering asbestos-contaminated materials and pose a serious health risk to the public.

How to Handle It Safely

Since asbestos is readily broken into tiny particles when exposed, handling this material can lead to asbestos fibers being released into the atmosphere. For this reason, it is best not to handle asbestos at all, because there is no safe way for a nonprofessional to collect and dispose of the hazardous material. If asbestos is found in an older building, all testing, remediation, and abatement of asbestos should be done by a licensed professional.

Risks and Dangers of Asbestos Exposure

Since the body cannot easily dispose of asbestos fibers, they tend to remain in the body and cause irreparable damage. If an individual experiences repeated exposure, the fibers can build up over time, often creating a fibrous scarring of the lungs. Exposure to this toxic mineral can lead to a range of deadly diseases, such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma cancer. Asbestosis is a chronic and progressive lung disorder that causes shortness of breath and culminates in respiratory failure or develops into cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of asbestos cancer that affects the body’s mesothelial cells and has a very low rate of cure. Unfortunately, mesothelioma treatment tend to be unsuccessful in curing the cancer and very few people have ever beaten this aggressive disease.

For more resources on asbestos, the various forms of asbestos cancer, and other illnesses caused by asbestos exposure, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.