Asbestos In Plaster

Asbestos is a natural mineral that has been used for industrial applications for the last 1900 years - Yes, 1900 years, ever since the Greeks in the first century discovered asbestos and started to use it for purposes such as heat insulation.

The asbestos fibres are very strong and are 100 to 200 times thinner than a human hair, so you can see what you're up against trying to visibly see if you have asbestos in your home.

Generally it is agreed that that asbestos in plaster is quite safe unless it's disturbed and then you will understand how easy it is to inhale the virtually invisible asbestos fibres. Once inhaled they will stick to your lung wall and can ultimately generate disease and then terminal lung cancer known as Mesothelium.

Asbestos in plaster can be defined into two types - either loosely bound fibre or firmly bound fibre:

For firmly bound asbestos fibres generally these products were made for domestic use in the 1970's and before: (Today, cellulose fibres have replaced asbestos fibres)

Roof shingles

Water or flue pipes

Textured paint

Vinyl floor tiles

The backing of vinyl floor coverings

Flexible building boards

Flat or corrugated sheeting

Plaster ceiling tiles

Plaster acoustic ceiling tiles

Loosely bound Fibres:

Loosely bound asbestos in plaster fibres are also termed 'friable' and were used mainly in older houses for insulation within heaters and stoves. Since asbestos has been off the market, glass fibres have replaced them within insulation products.

What should I do if I identify asbestos in my house?

If the panels or tiles or whatever asbestos you may find is in good condition and painted you really have no reason to fear it as long as it's left alone and not disturbed. If you have asbestos panels outside for cladding, likewise, if they are not broken and painted, no reason to worry. However, if you do have broken panels then they should be replaced. This can be undertaken by professionals, or, yourself if you want to but only if you have the proper protective equipment and they are thoroughly watered down to stop any microscopic fibres from becoming airborne and they are carefully disposed of so not to conflict danger on others as well.

So, if you do have asbestos, it really is better just to keep it where it is, if it's not disturbed because it's a highly skilled and expensive job disposing of it and it really is perfectly safe unless you are remodeling your home, office or factory.

Seal The Asbestos Tiles

Asbestos Tiles

If you have an older home, your old tile flooring may contain asbestos. Asbestos is a tough, durable fiber known to cause a variety of respiratory ailments and diseases such as cancer. Floor remodeling jobs in the home may require a professional asbestos removal company if the asbestos-based tile is chipped, crumbling or otherwise damaged. However, if it is intact, you can seal the tiles yourself to prevent future asbestos exposure. After sealing the asbestos tiles, you can install a new floor on top of the old one.

How to Seal Asbestos Tiles

1. Use the hammer and pry bar to remove the baseboards along the floor in the area that has the asbestos tile. Pry the baseboards away from the wall gently to prevent splintering so you can use them again. Removing the boards allows better application of the embossing leveler. 
2.  Prepare the asbestos tile flooring by wet mopping it to ensure all dirt and debris is removed. If there are any oily areas, use a degreasing cleanser on the floor then rinse with water. Allow the floor to dry slightly, until just moist to the touch. 
3. Mix the embossing leveler (purchased at most paint, flooring or hardware stores) with water, according to manufacturer's instructions in one of the large buckets. Use the wood paint stirrer stick to mix the leveler compound to a smooth consistency. 
4. Fill remaining bucket with water. This water bucket will serve as a rinsing receptacle for the metal trowel during the leveler compound application process. 
5. Pour the mixed embossing leveler compound on the asbestos tile flooring. 
6. Use the metal trowel to smooth the leveler compound across the asbestos floor tile. You have a short amount of time to work with the embossing leveler before it starts to set or cure, so trowel quickly. You want this underlayment to form a thin, level layer over the tile, creating a sealed surface in which no asbestos fibers can escape. 
7. Rinse the metal trowel in the water bucket every few minutes to prevent a buildup of the leveler compound on the metal surface 
8. Allow the embossing leveler compound to dry for at least two hours. Check manufacturer's instructions for more approximate drying times. During the drying process, do not walk on the floor surface. Once cured, you can use the hammer to re-install the base boards.

How to Diagnose Asbestos Poisoning

A number of people exhibit symptoms of asbestos poisoning or its deadly cousin, mesothelioma, after years of working in manufacturing jobs or careers dealing with various forms of friable asbestos. Although it is a natural mineral fiber, breathing in the tiny particles from asbestos dust results in the fibers adhering to the lining of the lungs and greatly increases the risk of lung disease and cancer. Mesothelioma is the name given to malignant cancers started by asbestos poisoning,

Instructions

Search your job history for repeated exposure to friable asbestos. For asbestos to be a poison, it must be in a breathable form. Friable asbestos easily crumbles and the tiny featherweight particles quickly disperse in the air. Some examples of friable asbestos are blown-in insulation around pipes, acoustical ceiling panels and wallboard and joint compound manufactured before 1978. Although now banned in this form, many homes still contain this dangerous textile.

Compare your symptoms to your work history if you suffered exposure to friable insulation on an ongoing basis. Keep in mind that you may not suffer the ill side effects for many years.

Consider asbestos disease as an explanation for medical symptoms that include difficulty drawing a full breath or exhaling fully, along with a chronic cough. This is a common first symptom of asbestos poisoning but since it also mimics many other respiratory diseases, it may go undiagnosed until other symptoms appear.

Pay attention if others mention that you sound a little hoarse. In the early stages the hoarseness may come and go but it will gradually worsen if the cause is asbestos poisoning.

Suspect asbestos poisoning if the above symptoms appear within 20 years of prolonged exposure to friable asbestos and medications for respiratory infections and flu symptoms have not cleared up the problem. In addition, coughing up blood, weight loss or chest pain, suggests the asbestos disease may have developed into mesothelioma.

Schedule an appointment with a physician who is familiar with testing for asbestos poisoning and the cancers related to the disease. The doctor will record your work history and will order pulmonary function tests as well as chest x-rays. If he suspects an asbestos disease or mesothelioma, he will likely order a Computerized Tomography Scan (CT scan) to make an accurate diagnosis.

There Is Asbestos in Your Home?

Asbestos has been recognized since ancient Greek and Roman times as a beneficial material that can withstand fire and heat, as well as electricity and chemicals. Thus, it is no surprise that this silicate mineral has been used in everything from submarines to homes as an insulating material. Sadly, though, we now know that asbestos can cause dangerous and even deadly disorders such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Although asbestos came under strict governmental regulation beginning in the 1980s, many homes built before and during this decade still contain asbestos. At one point in time, asbestos could be found in everything from ceiling tiles to counter tops, vinyl flooring to wall insulation. If your home was built prior to the 1980s, these components of your house may be releasing dangerous asbestos particles into the air.

Asbestos is divided into two different categories once it is used as an additive: friable and non-friable. Friable means that it can release microscopic fibers into the air, and non-friable means that the fibers are firmly secured in the material. Asbestos is dangerous when it comes in the friable form.

If you suspect that friable asbestos is in your home, there are several steps that you can take to protect yourself. First, it is impossible to determine if a substance is asbestos just by looking at it. You can send in samples of items to specialized labs for asbestos testing. However, you must be extremely careful when getting a sample.

If you want to cut a material to send it in for asbestos sampling, disturbing the fibers can send them airborne, where you can ingest or inhale these carcinogenic particles. Thus, if you absolutely must send it in for testing, you should make sure that you are wearing goggles and a face mask to protect yourself form inhaling asbestos. You can water it down very gently to help the particles stick together. Next, you can cut a tiny sample, never touching the material with your bare skin.

Should the sample test positive for asbestos, you can either have it removed by a professional or have it sealed with paint or another coating to keep it from being friable. Any exposure to asbestos can cause you to develop mesothelioma. If you now suffer from this deadly cancer and need help during this difficult time

asbestos poisoning

Before we discuss the term 'asbestos poisoning', let's have a look at some basics surrounding the material itself. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that is found in nature. It has been used liberally and widely in buildings and other constructions for over 100 years. The fibers of asbestos are durable and sturdy, yet, flexible and extremely resistant to heat. Asbestos can be found in a broad variety of products, such as flooring and ceiling tiles, house siding, roof shingles, pipe insulations, etc. To give you some numbers: a study that was conducted not too long ago, indicated that in the Unites States alone, asbestos has been used an estimated 30 million tons and can be found in over 3,000 products in industries like automotive, textile, electronics and construction.

However, the material was proven to be dangerous since a clear link between asbestos exposure and severe health effects was established. When we talk about asbestos poisoning, we refer to any illness or injury that was caused by the exposure to asbestos. It is important to note that if asbestos remains unhampered and undisturbed, no health risk is imminent. Asbestos is friable which means that it can be broken up under only a fairly small amount of pressure. As a result, the minerals separate into microscopically small dust particles. As these particles get airborne, they may be inhaled by anyone onsite or in close proximity, which can cause a number of severe health conditions, such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. A high risk of asbestos poisoning is posed to people with occupational exposure to the hazardous material.

In the early 1900s, researchers and the medical community reported an emerging trend of newly diagnosed patients and fatalities in workers holding jobs in asbestos mines and the asbestos manufacturing industries. Because of the long latency time of asbestos induced diseases, it took another few decades until the problem manifested itself in its entirety. Thousands of people got diagnosed and often died within a matter of months thereafter.

Asbestosis is comparable to an inflammation. It occurs when asbestos fibers are ingested or inhaled and get trapped inside the lungs. As the body's own defense mechanism kicks in, an acidy substance is being produced with the objective to dissolve the fibers. However, the acid does unfortunately have no impact on the asbestos, but directly affects the lung tissue which over course of time, results in scarring. The scarring impairs the regular functionality of the lungs.

Mesothelioma is cancerous and fatal. It is the only illness that is solely linked to asbestos exposure. Lung cancer is ranked number one worldwide among the most lethal cancers. Smokers who are exposed to asbestos are at a significantly increased risk of developing the disease.

Three Deadly Diseases That Affect Asbestos Plant Workers

By the term asbestos, we refer to all those fibrous minerals that are used as an element to resist heat or fire. Asbestos is dug from rocks that are metamorphic in nature. Asbestos plant workers are employed for the purpose of digging asbestos from the rocks. This has put most of the workers in this profession at risk because they are in contact with asbestos. When exposed to asbestos, people can suffer from various diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural plagues, etc. These asbestos related diseases are on the rise particularly in countries like the United States.

These ailments caused by exposure to asbestos are deadly because till date there has been no cure for most of these diseases. So it is very important for asbestos plant workers to be careful when they are working in an environment that has asbestos. They have to take extra precautions so that they do not breathe in the asbestos fibers.

In the early days, people in Greece noticed the harmful effects of asbestos on people working with asbestos to turn it into cloth. In recent times, the death tolls started to rise in those places where asbestos mines were situated and this made people investigate the properties of asbestos.

Those companies that were engaged in producing goods from asbestos decided to overlook the harmful effects of asbestos and as a result, the asbestos plant workers became prone to asbestos related diseases. Several lawsuits have been made against the asbestos companies because of the adverse effects of asbestos on the plant workers.

Some Diseases Affecting The Plant Workers

The diseases that affect the asbestos plant workers are as follows:

Asbestosis

When the plant workers inhale or take in asbestos fibers, they are putting themselves at risk of getting asbestosis. After inhaling the asbestos fibers, the worker's lung suffers from inflammation and irritation. This disease is not cancerous which means that it does not lead to cancer. Initially, the body of the worker tries to protect it self by fighting with these fibers but this will further make the matter worse by harming the cell and causing inflammation.

The worker may not know that he has asbestosis because this is only discovered though x-ray. He will not feel or experience any symptoms, which will make him come to a conclusion that he might be suffering from asbestosis. The airways and the air sacs of the worker's lung may be blocked by scar tissues or fibrosis that grows near these air passages. This will make the worker feel uncomfortable while breathing. In fact, the more the scar tissues or fibrosis grow the more complicated it will be for the worker to breathe properly. When an asbestos plant worker has asbestosis, he will cough and will not be able to breathe normally.

These symptoms will deteriorate with time even when the worker is not being exposed to asbestos anymore because this disease is progressive in nature. Even though it is rare but some times this disease can be deadly. Such an ailment can harm both the lungs of the worker. It means that it is not restricted to one lung only. Those who are suffering from this disease are more prone to develop mesothelioma or lung cancer. Currently, no cure has been found for this kind of disease and this is one of the reasons why all the plants' workers are asked to be very careful while they are at work.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma or malignant mesothelioma is a disease where tumor develops in the body of the asbestos plant workers when they are exposed to asbestos fibers. This tumor has the propensity to extend or multiply to various body parts and hence, this disease is considered to be fatal. Mesothelioma either develops in the abdomen or chest cavity. There are also cases where the tumor grows in the cavity close to the heart. Studies have shown that men workers are more prone to develop this disease as compared to women. Research has also shown that Mesothelioma is more common among the Caucasians. Actually, this type of disease is not common but once it attacks a person it can be very risky.

Lung cancer

This disease is regarded as one of the most deadly diseases where the tissue in the lung is transformed and expanded. Exposure to asbestos can lead to lung cancer in the asbestos plant workers.

Industrial Asbestos Risk Revealed

What is the industrial asbestos risk of your work place? The mesothelioma risk attached to various industries can be plotted on a continuum: from high industrial asbestos risk - to the least risk. Firstly, you must identify asbestos content inherent to your building, equipment, raw materials or products. Then compare this information with mesothelioma statistics for your industry. Exposure to asbestos is the main risk factor for developing mesothelioma injury. The mesothelioma injury normally develops in to full fledged mesothelioma lung cancer.

Asbestos is a family of fibrous minerals made of silicate.

Asbestos Fibers were once used in many products such as thermal asbestos insulation, pipes, asbestos tiles, door gaskets, asbestos siding, soundproofing, roofing, asbestos flooring, guttering, ceilings, patching compounds, fireproof gloves and ironing board covers, brake pads, paints, crayons and even portable hair dryers.

When asbestos fibers are processed and separated, it forms a microscopic dust that can be easily inhaled. If inhaled and not excreted by the body, it can collect in the lungs and stomach and eventually lead to the development of serious, life threatening diseases.

Industrial environments with high risk of asbestos exposure

Asbestos is classified as a toxic substance. It use is regulated by asbestos mesothelioma law. Despite global asbestos control measures, many workers are however, still at risk of asbestos exposure. We will discuss a couple of industrial environments where high levels of the toxic asbestos fibers may be found.

Asbestos mining, asbestos processing and other underground mining

Asbestos exposure of miners can come from either naturally occurring asbestos in the ore or host rock or from asbestos contained in manufactured products. Metal and Nonmetal Mines: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), other research organizations like EPA and scientists have noted the occurrence of cancers and asbestosis among miners involved in the mining and milling of commodities that contain asbestos.

Mining activities, such as blasting, cutting, crushing, grinding, or simply disturbing the ore or surrounding earth may cause asbestos fibers to become airborne. Asbestos mines are still operational in many third world countries. These countries and their neighboring countries still operate asbestos processing plants. Now that is high industrial asbestos risk! Asbestos ore is therefore still being transported between the mines and the plants by rail- or road transport.

Without legal precedents of asbestos lawsuits, mesothelioma claims and asbestos settlements, the citizens of these countries are helpless. In the South African town of Kimberley, one hospital reports 39 new cases of diagnosis malignant mesothelioma lung cancer every month. Asbestos mesothelioma law, banning the mining of asbestos and constraining the processing of asbestos, was only passed during 2008 by the South African parliament.

Construction or demolition sites 

Asbestos used to be the preferred material for the production of building materials for many decades. Because of its strength and durability, asbestos products were generally used between 1950 and 1975. Construction workers and builders who tear down and alter old buildings will encounter any of these products. Complete asbestos homes, called pre-fab homes, were also in great demand. Many older buildings still contain the mineral.

Their work disturbs the asbestos fibers and the toxic asbestos dust is released into the air. Such workers experience high industrial asbestos risk. The codes of good practice for asbestos abatement should be supervised, to prevent inhalation of the asbestos dust by the workers. 

Power plants and mobile generators and welders

Asbestos fibers are highly heat resistant. It is also well known for its poor electrical conductivity. Asbestos insulation used to be the material of choice for the thermal insulation of power plants and mobile generators. Therefore many of the broilers and generators in power plants are lined with various forms of asbestos. Safety protocols should be followed as a part their employers standing asbestos management plan, as required by law. If such a plan had not been previously implemented by the employer, they should discuss the relevant laws with their employers.

Shipyards

The shipbuilding industry employed hundreds of asbestos-containing products as components of the ships they were building. Because of this practice during the 1930s, 40s and 50s, thousands of shipyard workers worked with asbestos in various applications. They received high levels of asbestos exposure over prolonged periods.

Therefore shipyard workers are considered a very high risk group of industrial asbestos risk, and therefore potential asbestos exposure. They are still at risk today, when performing other maintenance or cleaning operations on older ships. The asbestos content of such ships are normally aged and deteriorated.

Automotive mechanic shops

Asbestos materials are known for its properties of hardness, durability and heat resistance. For decades, many older manufacturing plants used asbestos to manufacture breaks and clutch linings. There is evidence that mechanics working on older vehicles may be at risk of asbestos exposure. Their work environment is therefore considered to have a high industrial asbestos risk.

Steel mills

Asbestos insulation is used during the construction of steel mills, because of its properties of heat resistance and poor heat conductivity. Steel mill workers work in an environment of high industrial asbestos risk.

Buildings built before the 1980s

Most commercial-, government- and school buildings from this period contain asbestos products of some kind. Because people work in these buildings we aslo classify them as high industrial asbestos risk. The danger occurs as the asbestos building materials begin to age and deteriorate. Natural disasters may damage such buildings, as seen globally recently. All people should become knowledgeable about asbestos, where and in what forms it was used. They will then be enabled to manage their own safety.

Geography of The Asbestos Industry

Statistically, it was proven that individuals living near asbestos manufacturing plants live under high industrial asbestos risk. Asbestos fibers leaking into the surrounding air and water find its way into their bodies and leads to high diagnosis malignant mesothelioma figures.

Mesothelioma claims

If you or one of your loved ones have ever worked in a job with high industrial asbestos risk, you could save much trouble by already keeping careful note of the products, suppliers, manufacturers, equipment, buildings etc, relevant to asbestos exposure at your work place. It is never good to live in fear. However, it would be prudent to keep this log. If you or any of your close relatives do receive the diagnosis malignant mesothelioma at any later stage, these records could expedite a successful asbestos settlement in your favour.

Asbestos Death

With the growth of asbestos use came the first recorded death in consequence of mesothelioma asbestos cancer. However, instances of mesothelioma -- still diagnosed as an unidentified lung disorder -- were examined throughout the early 20th century, mainly in asbestos mining towns.

With the entire dispute concerning the way asbestos related disease can be handled in our courts, it is good to retrieve to basics. Exposure to asbestos fibers causes lung questions and cancer. It can cause death. Anybody who is demolishing buildings that may have contained asbestos, anybody living in a home with asbestos in the building or anybody still working with asbestos is at stake.

Being exposed to asbestos can cause a lifetime of suffering, medical bills and even to a premature death. For the loved ones of those exposed to Asbestos, these sufferings and financial operating cost can be overpowering and lasting, particularly after the Asbestos-related death of the individual.

If you've become a victim of Asbestos exposure because of a loved one's disease and death, you merit the justice and compensation that an Asbestos exposure lawsuit can offer. Get a good Asbestos exposure lawyer to talk about the fine points of your case and best course of action given your circumstance, relation to the victim and your state of residence.

An asbestos claim lawyer is precisely what you need if you have contracted any asbestos related diseases in consequence of asbestos exposure at workplace. Among all other asbestos related diseases, mesothelioma ensues to be the most harmful diseases that may ultimately cause death.

definition of asbestos

The definition of asbestos is inextinguishable. The term asbestos is a borrowed Greek adjective meaning inextinguishable. The Greeks named asbestos the miracle mineral because of its soft and pliant properties, as well as its aptitude to resist heat.

To assist your comprehension concerning the definition, asbestos is made up of a group of minerals. The minerals in asbestos have long and thin fibrous crystals. Your naked eye is not able to witness all of the asbestos and can simply be inhaled causing serious disease. If you suffer inhaled asbestos it will plunge deep into your lungs. Your lung's linings will be eaten away by the asbestos causing trouble in breathing and lethal cancer. If you are diagnosed by a doctor with Asbestosis or Mesothelioma, it is not curable.

Asbestos became more and more well-liked among manufacturers and builders in the late 19th century because of its resistance to heat, electrical and chemical damage, sound absorption and also tensile strength. When asbestos is employed for its resistance to heat, the fibers are frequently mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has established that asbestos is a known carcinogen. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates approximately that there are asbestos containing materials in most of the nation's 107,000 schools and over 733,000 public and commercials buildings.

The best protecting means to prevent asbestos particle inhalation is to stay away from places like factories and construction sites. Individuals who work at these locations should protect their faces with masks to reduce asbestos inhalation. Regular visits to your doctor are always helpful to take care of your health. If you have found there is asbestos in your home it is important that you without delay have the asbestos removed. Asbestos is very hazardous to you, your family and your pets.

Friable Asbestos and Non-Friable Asbestos

There are two major types of asbestos materials, defined according to the ease of reducing the materials down to basic fibers. The first type of material is known as friable asbestos. Like chalk or clay, these pieces of asbestos cannot withstand much force at all before falling apart. On the other hand, non-friable asbestos, occasionally referred to as encapsulated asbestos, requires a significant amount of damage to the material to prove dangerous.

Friable asbestos proves such a major threat due to its ability to release massive amounts of asbestos fibers into the air when breaking apart. These fibers can enter into the lungs when a person breathes them in, as they can linger in the air like dust or smoke. As a consequence of breathing in these fibers, the damage to the lungs can grow over time to a highly lethal form of cancer known as mesothelioma.

Although many forms of reducible asbestos have been removed from buildings as a major safety precaution, asbestos remains a part of certain products. Included inside boards and roofing materials, asbestos remains useful for its fire resistance. However, this non-friable asbestos is not at all safe. If placed under certain types of stress that can deteriorate the structure of the encapsulated asbestos, including water and humidity damages, fibers may be released into the air. Strong vibrations, often causing grinding, can also have this effect on otherwise safe materials.

The Environmental Protection Agency has noted that there are no safe levels of asbestos exposure. In the rare cases when non-friable asbestos becomes damaged, the released fibers may still trigger serious health concerns for individuals exposed to those materials.

friable asbestos

Although you may think that asbestos is an inherently dangerous product, it can be very helpful as an insulator as well. The degree of hazard surrounding asbestos depends on whether or not it is friable. This affects the amount of asbestos that you are likely to inhale or ingest, when it can cause cancer in your body.

Asbestos is a silicate mineral known for its ability to insulating against heat, flame, electricity, chemicals, and biodegradation. Additionally, asbestos flakes into microscopic fibers that have high tensile strength and flexibility. Thus, it is easily added to a wide variety of materials that necessitate insulating properties.

However, it's also the ability to flake into tiny fibers that makes asbestos so dangerous. Asbestos products that can release the carcinogen into the air are determined to be "friable." On the other hand, products which have asbestos sealed tightly so that it is unable to be released into the air are called "non-friable." While the use of this material is primarily banned, some non-friable containers of asbestos are still allowed.

The problem with asbestos fibers is that our bodies are unable to break down and digest or process them. Thus, our tissues form nodules around the fibers that can later turn into cancerous tumors, or they can contribute to problems such as pleural effusions. Indeed, when asbestos is present in the skin, it forms lumps called asbestos warts.

While non-friable asbestos is considered to be safer than friable asbestos, the former can still break down due to age or wear and tear, enabling it to become present in the air. Thus, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, enacted legislation regarding asbestos, it took into account the potential dangers of even non-friable asbestos.

The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) regulates asbestos in the air. It states that both non-friable and friable asbestos can become weakened by forces of nature or other such friction, resulting in the release of carcinogenic fibers. Thus, even if your home contains non-friable asbestos, renovations or remodeling can release dangerous fibers.

Thus, if you suspect that you have asbestos in your home, you should not disturb the material so that you do not accidentally release the fibers into the air. You must get a professional asbestos removal service to take the material out, and you should not remodel your home if you believe that asbestos may be present. For some people who are especially sensitive to this material, a single exposure can result in an asbestos-related disease.

If you or someone you know has developed mesothelioma or other health issues due to asbestos exposure, you should speak to an attorney about your rights to possible financial compensation.

amosite asbestos

Amosite asbestos also called as brown asbestos, due to its gray to brown color, or Grunerite. Amosite is characterized by its straight brittle fibers and utilized for cement sheeting and pipe insulation. At the height of asbestos' recognition, amosite was truly the second most generally used form of the mineral. Mined in South Africa, numerous mine workers have fallen ill to amosite because it is the second most dangerous form of asbestos.

The amosite variety of asbestos was applied principally as a fire retardant in thermal insulation products, such as ceiling tiles. Brown asbestos is currently banned in most countries and has been for several years. But it can still be found in older products and structures, hence still posing possible hazards particularly because this form of asbestos is very friable. That indicates it crumbles simply when damaged, hence releasing airborne fibers which can then be inhaled by those in the area of the material.

Amosite asbestos is a form of asbestos recognized to cause mesothelioma. It is an amphibole. The crystals vary and could be found as flat prisms, brittle grains, or long thin fibers. The fibers frequently are found in naturally occurring bundles. The long thin threads of amosite are rather flexible and bend to develop wide arches. These long arches of amosite threads break in smaller groups that bring about sharp needlelike fibers.

The last parts of the fibers are flat and do not have frayed or split ends, a feature that assists differentiate amosite from chrysotile. Broken bundles also are often found and look like broom tails in appearance. Parts of the crystal fibers can be identified in a number of building materials that were manufactured with amosite.

As a form of asbestos, amosite has caused a lot of cases of cancer (including mesothelioma) in people of various countries, but particularly near the amosite mines in South Africa, the world's major commercial source of amosite. The workers who mined and processed amosite have cancer rates far worse than those of the wide-ranging population.

Any amosite mineral asbestos employed in the U.S. is most likely from the amosite mines in Transvaal, South Africa. Amosite asbestos was used customarily in thermal insulation products and building products like: ceiling tiles, roof tiles, floor tiles, plumbing insulation, insulation board, chemical insulation, gaskets, lagging, cement sheet, electrical and telecommunication insulation.

asbestos in buildings

Where can you find asbestos in buildings, what are the risks, and what can you do about it?

The risks of asbestos exposure from students and staff in old schools and public buildings is a real one as many school buildings are known to contain these toxic substances. Old vinyl floor coverings containing asbestos should be removed from buildings and from schools due to the health dangers.

In my own professional experience in my town, and in other towns across the world Asbestos can be found in many old buildings, mostly in roofs, kitchens, walls and floor coverings. Exposure to asbestos can cause serious health problems, and is associated with mesothelioma and asbestosis. These respiratory diseases are caused by inhaling asbestos fibres. The biggest risks come from those exposed the longest amount of time to the substance. 75% of those diagnosed with mesothelioma die within 1 year. To reduce the risks it is most important to reduce exposure, and have exposed asbestos removed immediately.

Some important tips we have learnt over the years are firstly:

If you have worked in the building industry you should see a doctor regularly for health checks and mention you may have been exposed to asbestos. Secondly, if you suffer from any of the symptoms such as constant coughing, shortness of breath, or blood in your mucus, contact a doctor immediately.

Medical symptoms may not be asbestos related, but the sooner you consult a doctor, the more chance you have of identifying the illness. Even if not ill, if you have any suspicion your building or property contains fibrous suspect material you should contact a licensed professional. What should you look for to identify the hazard? If the building was constructed any time in the 1940's to 1980's there is a likelihood it may contain fire retardant dust containing asbestos.

What can you do to identify the risks in your local buildings or property? Some cities have investigated, including setting up features such as an official Schools Asbestos Register, a report to see which schools are affected by Asbestos. This can be helpful to parents and students, and when applied in Sydney, Parramatta, Bondi and Bankstown it was successfully used to show some state schools still had the floor coverings containing the toxic building material asbestos.

Old vinyl floors are a feature of many local schools. Originally used for their fire proofing qualities for several decades in the building industry, only now is a lot of asbestos being discovered in buildings during demolition, and can have very great health dangers with exposure, especially during removal. A common attitude shared is that the floor coverings are a remnant of the past, and once the flooring is damaged, it is increasing the risk of asbestos being released.

Current scientific and medical evidence has shown it is safe to be in a building that contains asbestos, so long as it is not damaged or disturbed. That is a big risk if you ask me. General building degradation, lack of reporting and documentation of actual exposure, earthquakes, accidents, purposeful destruction could all cause the building to breach the safe levels according to your local state building code, such as the one we follow in Sydney and New South Wales.

There are no excuses for asbestos backed flooring to still be present in our school buildings.

A register made public by your local state government can be used to list confirmed and presumed cases of asbestos in schools. Personally I think it is a great idea, and you may wish to lobby your council for the same. We now have rigorous processes in place to manage asbestos in our schools and these registers will help inform parents, staff and the public about what is being done in their local area.

Too often the response of some people had been to simply tape over ripped floor coverings.

A permanent fix is needed to treat this problem of the removal and safe replacement of the floor covering. Now that asbestos roofs have finally started to be replaced, buildings and that conduction demolition need to make a concerted effort to eliminate asbestos backed vinyl floor covering, an issue that does not get enough attention, but poses a real health risk. It is important that we complete the job of removing and replacing all floor coverings containing asbestos in Sydney and the rest of the country, and in other countries, to make our buildings, schools and public spaces safe for children and all residents.

The safety of children and their teachers is paramount, so this job must be a priority.

If your city does not have fee state schools asbestos register available online from the government we suggest all Australians (and those abroad) to lobby their local representative to put such measures in place.