subject: Control Asbestos Claims [print this page] Control Asbestos Claims
Asbestos seems to be one of those words that simply won't go away. Whether it's the over the top Health and Safety measures we see on the news when it's found, to the massive asbestos claims people make because they were exposed to it a lifetime ago. While the world blames it for all its ills, it behoves us to manage the material as much as possible to protect ourselves from these asbestos claims.
Asbestos is a product name, much like cellulite, a moniker created to sell a product. The material itself is a naturally occurring silicate mineral that's mined from the ground. It comes in three main forms, crocodilite (blue asbestos) amosite (brown) and chrysotile (white). There are others, but they aren't really used much.
The material lends itself well to construction because it's strong, fireproof, temperature resistant, doesn't conduct electricity, and has good sound deadening properties. It's a very versatile building material, and it's a real shame that we can't use it any more. The very properties that make it ideal for building, also give it it's bad name.
The long fibres that make up the compound can get into the air, and consequently the lungs, and causes diseases like lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. That's where all the asbestos claims come from. Those workers who worked on sites or in buildings with asbestos blame it for making their lungs hurt. Never mind the 40 years of smoking in the meantime.
The government says that there are around 3500 deaths in the UK per year directly attributed to asbestos related illnesses. That's supposed to increase as time goes on because the symptoms can often take decades to appear. That means the number of asbestos claims will also go up.
The use of asbestos was banned in the 1980's but it's still present in many old buildings. If you want to protect yourself from asbestos claims, make sure you protect yourself, and your workers as much as possible. If you find asbestos present in a building, do the following:
-Get everyone out of the area
-Don't disturb anything to reduce dust
-If possible damp everything down to reduce that dust
-Get the place cleared by experts in protective gear
-Clean up very, very thoroughly
Paranoia in a situation with asbestos is no bad thing. Just this once, use caution and take every precaution in order to preserve the scene and get it cleared up professionally. It costs a lot of money to get a proper crew in, but it's much cheaper than a load of asbestos claims further down the road.
Ideally if you're in the construction trade, the contractor, owner or HSE would have done an asbestos check before you start work in an old building. It might be worth spending an hour going round with someone who knows their asbestos to make sure there isn't any lingering behind stud walls or between floors. It will look like you care about your people, and protect you from those asbestos claims.
Well worth the time in my book.
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