Asbestos was a favored material in the construction industry; and till 1970s, most buildings like schools, offices and homes were constructed with asbestos. Being a naturally occurring material that is exceptionally strong and resistant to heat, asbestos was used commonly in buildings for insulation and can be found in ceiling tiles, flooring and pipes of buildings constructed before 1970.
Asbestos exposure danger
Till 1970, no one had an idea of the deadly consequences of inhaling asbestos dust and fibers. Today, people and asbestos precariously coexist in old buildings. However, it is only when asbestos is disturbed or broken causing the fibers to become airborne that it becomes a health hazard to human beings. This is commonly referred to as friable asbestos, while intact or unbroken asbestos is termed as non-friable asbestos. Airborne or friable asbestos is breathed into the human lungs and becomes cancerous after lodging there for two or more decades. While a safe level of exposure to asbestos has not yet been defined, it is certain that with prolonged exposure, the risk for developing an asbestos related disease becomes more pronounced.
Exposure to airborne asbestos
Persons who have been occupationally exposed to asbestos by working with objects such as gaskets and packing materials used in pipes, valves, and machinery (pumps, autos, etc.) are supposed to have a health risk from airborne asbestos. Studies of settings involving more than 300 air samples were conducted to determine the likely airborne fiber concentrations to which a worker may have been exposed while working in industrial and maritime operations, refineries, chemical plants, naval ships, and energy plants. The parameters studied included the representativeness of work practices, analytical methods, sample size, and potential for asbestos contamination (e.g., insulation on valves or pipes used in the study), among others. Specific activities evaluated included the removal and installation of gaskets and packings, flange cleaning, and gasket formation.
In most studies, the short-term average exposures were less than the current 30-min OSHA excursion limit of 1 fiber per cubic centimeter (f/cc) and all of the long-term average exposures were less than the current 8-h permissible exposure limit time-weighted average (PEL-TWA) of 0.1 f/cc. The results indicated that the use of hand tools and hand-operated power tools to remove or install gaskets or packing as performed by pipefitters or other tradesmen in nearly all plausible situations would not have produced airborne concentrations in excess of contemporaneous regulatory levels.
Asbestos dust exposure
Since it was established beyond doubt that prolonged inhalation of asbestos dust results in mesothelioma disease, numerous measures have been adopted to minimize exposure to asbestos dust through work without banning asbestos altogether. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set protocols for workers (masks, warning signs, protective clothing and more). People are advised to consult certified asbestos inspectors to test homes for asbestos before a remodel or gut renovation since not all homes are insulated with asbestos. Since mesothelioma is fatal, the likely hood of inhaling asbestos dust should be avoided at all cost.Chrysotile asbestos exposure
Asbestos has a number of types or forms such as amosite, tremolite, actinolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite. Of all, Chrysotile is one form of asbestos that is not as harmful as the others. This is because chrysotile appears as rolled phyllosilicate and is less likely to cause mesothelioma cancer if absorbed in small quantities; it is easy to eliminate from the body by exhalation and it also does not readily lend itself to being embedded in the body. The other forms which are bladed amphiboles are more harmful. The fact, however, remains that prolonged exposure to high concentrations of the material over a number of years will definitely have a harmful effect; e.g., in chrysotile mines.Asbestos exposure levels
While a single fiber of asbestos can result in mesothelioma, there are some factors that decide how asbestos exposure affects an individual. These include:
- Dose or quantity (how much asbestos an individual was exposed to)
- Duration or time period (how long an individual was exposed)
- Size, shape, and chemical makeup of the asbestos fibers
- Source of the exposure
- Individual risk factors, such as smoking and pre-existing lung disease
Although all forms of asbestos are considered dangerous, different types of asbestos fibers may be associated with differing degrees of health risks. For example, the results of several studies suggest that amphibole forms of asbestos may be more harmful than chrysotile, particularly for mesothelioma risks, because they tend to stay in the lungs for a longer period of time.
Asbestos exposure in children
School buildings pose a health hazard for children since most buildings contain asbestos material in one form or the other. While most school buildings have been renovated to remove asbestos, many have opted for sealing to contain the asbestos. Either way, awareness level of officials involved in the education and care of children is keen and measures to maintain a safe environment as per federal standards for children at schools are ensured. It is also mandatory to have an asbestos management plan in each school that can be accessed at the school office by those concerned about the issue.
Second hand asbestos exposure
Those working with asbestos inadvertently pass on the asbestos fibers to the women and children in their houses through the work clothing and shoes. Hair and other parts of the workers’ body could also carry large amounts of damaged or "friable' asbestos into the home. A study of mesothelioma related medical cases reveals that more than 50% of the cases in women were as a result of household exposure to someone who worked directly with asbestos.