Despite the institution of asbestos-usage regulations in most countries, the issue of asbestos exposure is still a very serious concern for those living in older residences. In the United States, for example, well over 35 million homes contain asbestos products - attic insulation, floor or ceiling tiles, or roofing materials.
In Australia, the Asbestos Diseases Foundation is witnessing the "third wave" of asbestos victims, as "thousands and thousands" of individuals are being diagnosed with asbestos cancer as a result of exposure during a home renovation project.
For construction workers, contractors, electricians, drywallers, etc. the issue of asbestos exposure while working in older residences is quite severe. In comparison to the countless other occupational hazards faced by these individuals, asbestos exposure and the subsequent health effects - the development of mesothelioma cancer, for example - may seem less obvious, and for this reason, asbestos exposure continues to occur on the job.
Asbestos exposure in construction workers and other laborers typically occurs during demolition. Often, workers discover asbestos-containing products after having gotten partway through the job, which means that they may have been breathing in airborne asbestos fibers.
Once discovered, asbestos materials must be removed by a licensed asbestos abatement professional and disposed of properly to avoid further exposure, but the long-term effects of even brief exposure to asbestos can be fatal.
If inhaled, asbestos fibers - which appear similar to that of a "claw" in architecture - may cling to the mesothelium, or lining of the body's internal organs, for decades before a victim begins to experience symptoms of an asbestos-caused illness, such as asbestosis or mesothelioma cancer. The asbestos fibers may cause a malignant tumor, and if they do, it is simply a matter of time (often, less than two years following initial diagnosis) before a victim succumbs to their disease.
In the UK, employers (including contractors) are urged by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work to protect their workers from exposure to asbestos and other toxins.
According to the Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) put forth by the European government, "average exposure time" is about eight hours per day. If a construction worker spends eight hours a day breathing in asbestos fibers, the future health consequences can be deadly! The very best way to protect employees - and yourself - is to limit (and avoid, if possible) time spent working with asbestos.
That being said, the first step that contractors and their employees should take involves asbestos testing. Before beginning work on any structure that was built thirty or more years ago it is advisable to test attic insulation, drywall, stucco, and tiles for asbestos.
If these materials test positive for asbestos, a licensed abatement company must conduct asbestos material removal prior to beginning any further construction work.
Once all asbestos materials have been removed, air quality monitoring should also occur in an effort to protect workers from exposure to errant asbestos that may be lingering in the air. If safe levels of asbestos in the air are determined - or none at all, ideally - then work on the structure can begin. Taking these "extra" steps is the only way to prevent exposure to this potentially deadly toxin.
Please visit Mesothelioma.com or the European Agency for Safety and Health for additional information about the health and safety consequences of asbestos exposure.
Jennifer Miller, Mesothelioma.com