subject: When Is Asbestos Dangerous? [print this page] When Is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos is not hazardous if it is handled correctly. However, this does not mean you cannot be contaminated by the fibers and become ill from asbestos exposure. Familiarizing yourself with the different types is essential to determine whether your have asbestos in your home or workplace, because it comes in different forms and colors.
Asbestos fibers are so small it takes a special type of microscope to determine whether fibers are present. In the United States each year, thousands of people die due to asbestos exposure. People who inhaled fibers typically were exposed many years ago at their jobsite, and the dangers of asbestos fibers were not widely known until the 1970s.
Asbestos becomes most dangerous when the tiny particles become airborne. This most often occurs happen when a house or building is demolished or renovated. Once particles become loose, they are likely to be inhaled by those who are working or living around the asbestos. Loose particles can result from sanding, hammering, drilling or even just slightly disrupting its placement in the home.
Pipe insulation is a common place that asbestos is found. Asbestos insulation looks very similar to typical loft insulation that is used, but there is a very simple precaution that can be taken. If there is asbestos in the home and it is in danger of becoming disturbed, make sure it is kept wet. Wetting it allows for particles to remain stable and prevents them from being released into the air. Because of the danger of asbestos exposure, it is important to get an estimate of whether or not asbestos is present so necessary steps can be taken to either keep it from becoming disturbed or removing it completely.
There are three primary illnesses that asbestos exposure can cause:
Mesothelioma
Asbestosis
Lung cancer
Mesothelioma, Asbestosis, and Lung Cancer
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that most often occurs in the thin membrane lining of the lungs, chest, abdomen, and sometimes the heart. Approximately 200 cases are diagnosed each year, and just about all cases of mesothelioma are linked to asbestos exposure. Approximately two percent of all miners and textile workers who work with asbestos, and ten percent of all workers who were involved in the manufacture of asbestos-containing gas masks, contract mesothelioma.
Asbestosis is a serious, chronic, non-cancerous respiratory disease. Inhaled asbestos fibers aggravate lung tissues causing scarring of the lung tissue. Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling. The disease may cause cardiac failure when it is in the advanced stages.
Lung cancer causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. The incidence of lung cancer in people who are directly involved in the mining, milling, manufacturing and use of asbestos and its products is much higher than in the general population. Common symptoms of lung cancer are coughing and a change in breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain, hoarseness, and anemia.
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