Towards the later part of the 20th century, the builders and the think-tanks of the construction industry sought to find new materials and methods that would improve the quality of homes and buildings. One particular aspect they would like to improve on during those periods was on fire resistance and they found this through the use of asbestos. The initial success of asbestos as a fire-retardant was so popular that it became commonly used in walls, floorings, ceilings, and pipe installations.
However, the think-tanks were not overly thorough in their assessment of asbestos, particularly when the building materials using this substance started to break down or disturbed, causing fibers and dust to be released into the air and inhaled by the occupants of a building or home. The result was a rash of asbestos-related illnesses including asbestosis, which is a serious and chronic lung ailment; mesothelioma, which is a form of lung cancer and other similar lung cancers and diseases.
Such concerns and serious issues regarding asbestos warranted the need for asbestos abatement and removal. Homes and buildings, particularly older structures built during these earlier periods need to be tested for asbestos content and would eventually require remodeling, renovation, and in worst cases even demolition. Laws have been enacted to this effect, and federal agencies work to enforce these measures and controls towards the use of asbestos materials.
The following is a brief introduction about the effects of asbestos and basic things that you need to know about asbestos testing and abatement.
Getting to Know Asbestos
Asbestos is a fire retardant and insulating material made of fibrous minerals, which includes amosite, actinolite, anthophyllite, chrysolite, crocidolite and tremolite. These characteristics made asbestos a primary choice for building materials from the early 1950s to the late 1970s until it was discovered that asbestos caused life-threatening diseases in the lungs, forcing the government to enforce a ban on its use.
The minerals used for asbestos fibers are mined from different parts of the world and this includes certain areas in Australia, Canada and South America. These materials and minerals are shipped to processing plants and are made into building materials like shingles used for roofing and household tiles. Asbestos is also used not only for building materials but its heat and flame retardant properties make it suitable for use in a variety of industrial purposes including gaskets and automotive brake pads.
Fragmented particles of asbestos are called asbestos dust and are considered highly hazardous particularly if inhaled and eventually settle inside the lungs. This problem and imminent danger is augmented by the fact that it would take several years of being exposed to asbestos dust before a person can show or exhibit signs and symptoms of asbestos poisoning and other asbestos-related diseases.
Asbestos can be found in several structures like homes, schools and offices, particularly those built between the 1950s and the 1970s. Such structures need to be tested for asbestos by qualified agencies. Homes that are near asbestos-related industries or factories are also at high-risk of exposure to asbestos dust.
Once the presence of asbestos is confirmed in these areas and structures, specialized companies engaged and qualified in asbestos removal and abatement are called in to remove all traces of asbestos from the structures.
Knowing the Dangers of Asbestos
The fibrous nature of asbestos causes it to expel asbestos dust when disturbed. Asbestos dust may appear like ordinary household dust however, it can cause irritations in the skin upon direct contact. Once inhaled, the asbestos fibers can cause lacerations and damage to the mouth, throat and eventually the lungs.
During the early periods where the dangers of asbestos were not yet established, workers wore no protective clothing or protection for their noses and mouth. They are very susceptible to asbestos poisoning through the inhalation of asbestos fibers. These fibers also cling to the work clothes and shoes of these workers thereby causing these fibers to spread further and even be brought home.
The general term used to describe health conditions caused by asbestos exposure is called asbestos poisoning. Complications include lung cancers and another similar cancer called asmesothelioma. Lung conditions such as asbestosis are another serious ailment, as well irritations, warts caused by the fibers, and lesions in the skin caused by embedded fibers. Furthermore, fibers that eventually penetrated the digestive tract can also cause a variety of health concerns.
The biggest problem associated with asbestos poisoning and other related diseases are the prolonged length of time before symptoms are made evident and diagnosed. Once proven that these illnesses where caused by asbestos fibers, the person affected can make a claim and seek a legal compensation for the disease that they contracted. People who have worked in asbestos mines or have worked in an environment that is heavily exposed to asbestos fibers have very strong cases against their previous employers.
What are Ways to Test for Asbestos?
People who have purchased or are moving into an old home or structure should make it a point to have the house tested for asbestos by qualified agencies. Not only that, homeowners currently living in an old structure or those with family members who have live in their homes that worked in an asbestos-exposed facility, should have their existing homes tested for asbestos. They may not exhibit any symptoms at present but if there is a possibility that their homes were exposed to asbestos, it would be best and wise to test otherwise.
An environmental testing agency can perform the tests needed to check if asbestos can be found in any layers or surfaces in the house like ceiling, insulation and tiles. An asbestos abatement company also is capable of performing such tests which includes the PLM or the polarized light microscopy test. Other tests that can be used to detect the presence of asbestos include TEM or transmission electron microscopy and PCM or phase contrast microscopy.
These tests should be done before any remodeling or renovation work and would require only a small sample of the sections that are to be tested. The most expensive is TEM, which compares asbestos and non-asbestos materials using a combination of chemical and mineral tools used in conjunction with magnification techniques. A more cost-effective test is the PCM which uses polarized light to distinguish between asbestos fibers against other materials and it can process and analyze a large amount of building fibers.
If the building fibers are found to be containing asbestos or asbestos dust, a qualified asbestos abatement company should be tapped to remove these materials from the home. These people are qualified and knowledgeable to remove asbestos and asbestos-contaminated materials from a home safely and effectively.
What are Ways to Remove Asbestos?
As signified earlier, asbestos and materials containing asbestos dust are proven to be serious health hazards that could lead to dangerous and life-threatening ailments and diseases. This is compounded with the fact that symptoms will only become evident after several years. A person living in an asbestos-affected home can be going through their daily routine and at the same time being exposed to asbestos on a daily basis unknowingly. The exposure could go on for years with the homeowners and their household slowly developing asbestos-related illnesses or diseases. Detection could come too late and this could prove very fatal.
With this concern clearly evident, particularly if the house proved positively contaminated during the asbestos testing phase, asbestos abatement is imperative. However, it should be noted quite sternly that only qualified personnel and companies should deal with the removal process. The removal activities may prove to be fatal and dangerous to people who tries to attempt removal themselves. This fact is very serious that is why in several states, the removal of asbestos or asbestos-infested materials is prohibited if performed by non-qualified personnel.
The risks of getting exposed to asbestos fibers during the removal process is very high, that is why only qualified personnel wearing protective clothing and gear and using highly-specialized tools are allowed to remove the affected materials. Inhalation of the asbestos fibers can clog air passages and get lodged inside the lungs and the body permanently. Such are the dangers presented so homeowners are strongly advised to heed these precautions.
Professional companies would perform the asbestos removal process only after several preliminary considerations and precautions have been carefully studied and performed. Such precautionary measures are done to prevent any accidental exposure that may occur to personnel performing the clean-up process, as well as to minimize the risks of releasing airborne asbestos dust and fibers into the atmosphere and into the surroundings.
These precautionary measures include the proper wearing of protective clothing which includes micro-filtered respirators, protective clothing without any skin exposure and resistant to punctures, and the use of protective equipment to handle asbestos-contaminated materials.
Materials affected with asbestos should be placed and sealed in proper materials and containers to prevent further exposure of the environment. These materials should be transported in sealed vehicles and disposed at a specified asbestos material waste area or landfill.
Asbestos testing and abatement may be a costly and tedious process to make. However, the need to perform such tests and the subsequent removal activities is imperative particularly if your home is an older structure and would need renovation or remodeling. This is paramount to ensure the safety and health security of the homeowner and his household.
