|
Asbestos Services
“asbestos” is derived from a Greek adjective meaning inextinquishable.
Asbestos is:
- A natural mineral
- Fibrous
- Very strong
- Heat resistant
- Able to be woven
- Poor conductor for electricity
Locations asbestos can be found:
There are HUNDREDS of products have used asbestos because of the good qualities of this mineral. ACM = asbestos-containing material
Common uses:
- Fireproofing
- Acoustical
- Insulation
- Strengthener (concrete & concrete-like materials)
- Decorative
Friable vs. Nonfriable ACM:
Friable ACM contains more than 1% asbestos and can be “crumbled or reduced to powder by hand pressure” when dry.
Categories of Asbestos-Containing Building Materials (ACBM):
- Surfacing Materials – ACM sprayed or troweled on surfaces for acoustical, decorative or fireproofing purposes.
- Thermal System Insulation (TSI) – Insulation used to inhibit heat transfer or prevent condensation on components of hot or cold water systems and HVAC systems.
- Miscellaneous Materials – Other, largely nonfriable products and materials such as floor tile, ceiling tile, roofing felt, concrete pipe, outdoor siding and fabrics.
Possible Health Conditions Exposure to Asbestos Can Cause:
ASBESTOSIS is the most common and is NOT cancer.
It is scarring in the lungs which diminishes lung capacity. The body will surround asbestos fibers and form scar tissue around it. There is a dose-response relationship; the more asbestos someone is exposed to, the greater the chance of getting asbestosis. Latency period of 15-30 years; it is common for the disease to be diagnosed 15 to 30 years AFTER the asbestos exposure occurred.
LUNG CANCER
- Asbestos is one cause of many for lung cancer.
- Someone who is exposed to industrial concentrations of asbestos is 5X more likely to contract lung cancer. A smoker is 10X more likely to contract lung cancer. If an asbestos worker is also a smoker, he or she is 90X more likely to contract lung cancer!!
- It appears there is a dose-response relationship but NO SAFE LEVELS have been determined.
- Latency period of 15-40 years
MESOTHELIOMA is a cancer of the chest cavity lining (can also occur in the abdominal lining).
- This type of cancer spreads very rapidly and is fatal. Thankfully, it is rare.
- There is NO dose-response relationship, which means someone could have very limited exposure to asbestos and contract mesothelioma.
- Latency period of 30-40 years.
Other diseases are found more often among persons exposed to asbestos than the normal population.
- Cancer of the esophagus, stomach, colon & pancreas
- Pleural plaques
- Pleural thickening
- Pleural effusion
|
