Where Can Asbestos Be Found?

Asbestos, being a naturally occurring mineral, is present in very small quantities in soil, air, and water. We are exposed to these background levels in our daily lives and this type of asbestos exposure poses little risk. However, people who are exposed to higher concentrations of particulate asbestos for extended periods of time are obviously under the serious threat of developing asbestos related diseases.

Who is at Risk of Asbestos-Exposure?

People who are involved in filing, polishing, and sanding activities are at an abnormally high risk of asbestos exposure. Asbestos-containing materials like asbestos flooring, walls, acoustic plaster, textured paints, roofing and fiber cement, adhesives, gaskets, insulation, and waterproofing etc release fibrous dust when they are filed, cut, scraped, sanded, or disturbed.

Even though the use of asbestos for construction was banned in the late 1980s, surveys show that many buildings still have considerable asbestos-reinforced material in them. As these buildings age, they naturally require periodic maintenance work. Many of them are regularly demolished to make way for new structures.

When are Workers Exposed to Asbestos?

When old buildings are demolished, repaired, or re-built, these structures are disturbed, drilled, cut, and broken. This leads to the release of free-floating asbestos dust into the air. Workers involved in sanding and filing are at risk because they are directly exposed to the lethal dust. This is why it is mandatory that only workers with special training should carry out removal or repair of products containing asbestos.

Dangers of Asbestos-Exposure: Mesothelioma

People, who have been exposed to asbestos dust, even for a limited period of time at any time in their lives, may develop asbestos-related diseases like Mesothelioma. Family members of such workers are also at a higher risk since many workers carry home the deadly dust.

Safety measures help only when trained workers are aware of the risks involved. Sadly, many people end up with fatal diseases because they were unaware that they are working with asbestos-containing materials. Many people are still unaware of what asbestos exposure might do.

If you believe that you may be putting yourself or your family at risk through the kind of work you do, then you need to take some immediate steps to protect yourself. One of them is to contact a qualified lawyer. Call us today.