Asbestos Health Hazards You Should Be Conscious Of
The insulating and fire-resistant properties of asbestos have made it a popular building material across the United States, but in recent years, many specialists suggest that it may do more harm than good. Asbestos has been found to contribute to a number of health problems, and in the 1980s it was banned from use in commercial and residential structures.
Though new buildings no longer use asbestos in the construction process, many older buildings still contain asbestos. This means that exposure is still possible if the asbestos is disturbed. However, there are safety precautions you can take to avoid asbestos exposure. If you live or work in an older building that you suspect may contain asbestos, it’s important to get educated about asbestos health risks and get in touch with a trusted asbestos abatement service.
History of Asbestos Use
Asbestos was first used in the 1800s in commercial applications and grew in popularity after World War II. Its excellent resistance to fire and chemical exposure and its powerful ability to insulate against electricity made it popular in the building industry.
Unfortunately, it soon became clear that breathing in asbestos fibers could lead to several respiratory illnesses and other diseases. Just being around asbestos when the fibers were not in the air didn’t seem to be a problem, and even today, undisturbed asbestos isn’t considered much of a risk. But it was so easy to disturb the material and send fibers into the air—and into people’s lungs—that the Environmental Protection Agency started banning asbestos in the 1970s.
Asbestos use was largely put to rest by 1989, but regulations and bans have still been passed as recently as 2019 when the EPA ruled that old asbestos products couldn’t go back into the commercial market without EPA evaluation and approval.
Why Asbestos Is a Health Hazard
When you breathe in asbestos fibers, they can become lodged in your lungs and damage the tissue. That damage can take years to turn into a health problem, but in some cases, the effects of asbestos exposure can take only weeks or months to appear.
For example, children with secondhand exposure to asbestos (usually through the clothes of relatives who work with the material) tend to become sick relatively quickly. For adults exposed to asbestos though, illnesses can take as many as 40 years to become evident.
Several factors can combine to turn exposure to sickness:
- Age at time of exposure
- Length of exposure
- Intensity of exposure
- Smoking history
- Exposure doesn’t guarantee you’ll become sick later in life, but it’s a risk no one should have to take.
Doctors and researchers now know that asbestos health hazards can include:
- Lung disease—especially for current or former smokers
- Mesothelioma—proven to be a particular risk for children exposed to asbestos
- Asbestosis—a chronic, noncancerous disease that is incurable and that can lead to respiratory trouble due to scarring, with symptoms including crackling sounds when you breathe, shortness of breath, and cardiac trouble
- Additional lung-related disorders such as pleural plaques, effusion, and thickening
Avoiding Asbestos Exposure
Over the course of your lifetime, you will more than likely encounter asbestos in the environment. You can, however, take steps to reduce your exposure to asbestos in buildings:
- Try not to live or work in buildings that were built or remodeled before 2000
- Arrange asbestos testing or asbestos inspections if you move into an older home
- If you find evidence of asbestos in your home or workplace, book a professional asbestos abatement company to remove it—never attempt to remove asbestos yourself!
If you do find out that there’s asbestos in your home or workplace, be sure not to disturb it. Asbestos is most dangerous when the fibers are disturbed and breathed in, so take care to keep the asbestos isolated and out of the air. Stay away from the source of asbestos until you’re able to arrange a professional inspection. If only part of a building has asbestos, for example, keep people that area until an asbestos abatement team arrives.
Home asbestos testing is critical, especially if children live in the home. Though undisturbed asbestos technically doesn’t contribute to health problems, children may accidentally scrape or puncture an asbestos-containing wall. Earthquakes, fires, and floods can also disturb hidden asbestos, exposing everyone in the home to harmful particles.
Protect Yourself & Others From Asbestos
When it comes to asbestos, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. With Asbestos Project Management, your health and safety are in good hands. If you suspect your home or workplace has asbestos, or if the structure was built before 2000, contact us today for quick and convenient asbestos testing.
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