Asbestos: Health Risk, Standards, and Protection

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Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicone mineral that was used frequently in construction in the 19th century because it was very resistant to heat, electricity, and chemical damage.

OSHA Standards

Since finding out the extreme health threat in the later part of the 20th century, the government came up with the OSHA standards . OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Agency and the standards require employers to “furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” People working in industries like construction or someone working in a shipyard who have been targeted as being in the most danger of exposure to asbestos must be provided a safe, asbestos-free environment by government law .

What are the hazards of asbestos?

Asbestos is extremely deadly to humans. Exposure to asbestos causes tumors to develop. It also causes mesothelioma , a kind of cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos. Mesothelioma causes cancerous cells to develop in the mesothelium. It occurs most often in the lungs . It can also cause asbestos warts to grow on the skin and it can cause either pleural plaques or more serious diffuse pleural thickening, which can cause extensive lung damage.

How to evaluate asbestos exposure?

Many people who were exposed to asbestos were exposed before regulations were imposed so they are unaware that they were even exposed. Doctors evaluate if someone has been exposed to asbestos by consulting what they call a risk matrix .î They consult the risk matrix, which is basically a set of questions that determine how likely it was that someone was exposed to asbestos in the past. They also weigh that matrix against any symptoms that a person may not be exhibiting.

Worker protection

Thankfully, current regulations require workers to be protected from asbestos exposure. These regulations are the worker’s first line of defense against exposure. Building controllers are required to find any materials likely to contain asbestos and to keep up-to-date records if asbestos is present, which is becoming rare these days. They must have a plan of action to minimize risk of exposure and they must inform all workers that they are beginning work on a premise which has asbestos. They are also required to wear respirators not paper masks so that, should any asbestos get airborne, it will not be able to enter the lungs.

Asbestos training

People who work with asbestos must be trained before they do it. The EPA requires someone to take classes on how to properly inspect for asbestos as well as how to repair and remove it. There is actually a national institute for asbestos training.

Asbestos resources

There have been many lawsuits filed over asbestos exposure.

EPA Page On Asbestos

Mesotheliomia & Asbestos Awareness Center

CDC Page On Asbestos

Resource by L.Fuller

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