Nowadays, in Western Europe, only 3.5% of buildings with asbestos have been treated. At least, it should take three centuries before getting rid of this very harm material. In reality diseases related to the inhalation of dust asbestos are spreading: pulmonary fibrosis, pleural plaques, lung cancer.

As indicated by an incubation period of 15/20 years, asbestos kills inevitably. In Europe, 20000 cases yearly have been diagnosed, 100000 deaths by 2025!A study accomplished by the Erasmus Hospital in Brussels puts forward that an adult on seven European bring pulmonary asbestos signs exposure.

The major cause of this situation is the huge cost of the asbestos removal, roughly 1350 euros per ton. But other charge has to be included: building’s immobilization during the operation, staff resettlement in another place, logistics reorganization, and so on. For instance, for a building covering an area of 10000 m2, the cost can move toward 30 M T.

The removal of asbestos is a hazardous work. Workers are appropriately suited and protected from the hazardous fibers. However, many come in contact with asbestos every day without even realizing it.

Home test kits are sold by various sources online. These frequently come with detailed instructions on what to make to test a section of your home. It is significant to follow instructions to the letter to defend you from first exposure. A lot of kits simply give details on how to gather samples and where to send them for testing.

If a test comes out positive, there is no need to be frightened. The next step you should take is to make contact with experts who can remove the mineral from your home. Though you can make use of an asbestos home test kit on your own, it isn’t such a good idea to try to remove asbestos without expert assistance. Asbestos removal possibly will cost a lot but you can’t afford to put your health at risk.

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Asbestos generally refers to long threads of silicate fiber compounds. The word asbestos actually comes from the Greek word for “inextinguishable” as they are resistant to heat, fire, and chemicals as well as non-conductive. These unique properties made asbestos a useful material in many industries including the shipbuilding, automobile, and construction industries.

In America, asbestos was first mined and used commercially during the late 1800s, gaining popularity with many commercial applications until the 1970s. It was then that its use was finally banned for certain uses as the health hazards came to the forefront – even including the manufacturing of electric hair dryers.

In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned all new uses of asbestos but previously established uses, however, were still allowed. This was intended as a way to slow and then eliminate the use of asbestos in the United States, however it was overturned in 1990. Also in 1989, regulations regarding damaged or exposed asbestos in schools were also established.

Even today asbestos can be found in many products including:

brake pads and shoes,
roofing tar and roof shingles,
caulk,
clutch plates,
fire blankets,
the fireproof clothing worn by firefighters, and
thermal pipe insulation.

Linking asbestos to cancer

Asbestos poses the greatest threat to those who work with it regularly as they are most likely to inhale the fibers. When asbestos is disturbed, as may occur when it is being fitted for a particular use such as insulating a section of piping or wall, the smaller fibers break off and become airborne. In this form, the people around them can easily inhale the fibers.

Once inhaled, the asbestos lodges within the lungs and causes irritation, scarring, and possible abnormal cell growth, resulting in tumors and cancer as well as other mesothelioma symptoms. Asbestos cancer is also referred to as mesothelioma, because it affects the lining of the body’s organs which is called mesothelium.

Workers in the following trades have the greatest risk of being exposed to asbestos and developing mesothelioma:

Asbestos mining and milling
Shipbuilding
Construction/building, particularly working with insulation
Asbestos removal workers
Automobile workers
Firefighters
Asbestos textiles manufacturing

If mesothelioma has entered your life through asbestos exposure please reach out and contact experienced mesothelioma attorneys such as those at Landry & Swarr. Over the years they have developed tremendous asbestos law experience and can help protect your rights. Article by: Andre’ Savoie

Asbestos cement was used in dozens of products. It was used to make corrugated roofing material and can be found on many garages and sheds, as well as on industrial structures and many rural farms. It was also used as roofing on many homes. While it is never safe to assume anything when it comes to asbestos, there is a good chance that if you see a corrugated rood with moss growing on it, it is made of asbestos. There is no cause for concern if you are in the vicinity, but if you are planning on doing any work that involves cutting into, removing or drilling a corrugated roof, be sure you know for a fact that it is not asbestos before you begin.

Asbestos cement was frequently used in the manufacture of wall claddings and was most often used to clad buildings that also had asbestos roofs. Since the house or structure may have been painted or even re-clad during renovations, you may not recognize it. Should you start to work on the walls of a structure whose cladding may be made of asbestos, have it analyzed before you do any major work.

When asbestos was in its heyday, it was used in dozens of applications. Downpipes and gutters were made of asbestos cement, as were water tanks, pipes and many other products. Air conditioning systems, boilers and ventilating systems also were made from asbestos cement.

Asbestos cement is less dangerous than other types of asbestos. This is because it has been mixed with ordinary cement. You do not need a license to do small jobs on asbestos cement products, but precautions must be taken. Do not take anything lightly when it comes to asbestos. You can find full safety instructions online. Also remember, some of the coatings used on these products contained a more dangerous type of asbestos. Know what you’re dealing with before you begin.

Asbestos can often be found in textured wall and ceiling coatings. These are very dense and also have been coated, so if left intact or drilled into, they are safe. However, you should never attempt to sand them. This will result in the release of asbestos particles and is extremely dangerous. There are other coatings that included asbestos as well, so if your house was built before 2000, find out before you do anything to disturb these coatings.

The most dangerous asbestos of all is the loose asbestos that was used in floor and ceiling cavities. This is deadly, so stay away from it and contact a licensed asbestos removal expert (HSE-licensed) if you see this. It is grayish in colour and resembles cotton wool.

So the answer to the question, “Where is asbestos found in the home” remains the same. If your house was built before the year 2000, it can be found in many places

Jason Stallard
Online Marketing Manager
Connaught Compliance
Asbestos Services

Our team of experts will work with you to provide a highly effective solution to enable you to comply with the law, keep your employees safe and to manage risks either in-situ or removal to a licensed disposal site.

The consultancy employs a large number of qualified asbestos surveyors and consultants operating across the UK, so we have the coverage, capability and expertise to deliver services on a national scale.

Shock as schools found to have no asbestos safety plans

We can see why union staff were shocked to learn that some schools weren’t doing enough to ensure staff and children were safe from asbestos.

Left alone, it shouldn’t do any harm, but once you start sticking drawing pins in the stuff, or ripping it out during improvement works, then the dust can get anywhere and exposure can be fatal.

That’s why it is vital to know where asbestos is, and have plans in place to deal with it. Yet now we hear from Unison that four schools run by Waltham Forest Council, east London, don’t have such plans in place.

According to Unison: “A Health and Safety Executive inspector visited Henry Maynard Infants and Juniors, Kelmscott and Willowfield Schools and found that ‘none of the four schools visited had an asbestos management plan’.”

The council had also failed to act to reduce the risk of legionnaires disease arising from the possible presence of legionella bacteria in the schools’ water systems.

The Health & Safety Executive also warned that as all four schools visited failed they are concerned this situation may be replicated throughout the borough.

“It is very worrying to learn that the Council has not been carrying out its duties to safeguard the children and employees who attend Waltham Forest Schools,” said Su Manning, UNISON Branch Heath and Safety Convenor.

“The HSE have told us that the council has not met the requirements of its own risk assessment and we now have a situation where the council is being ordered to carry out its duties under health and safety legislation. A further failure to act could result in prosecution.”

Unison’s Branch Health and Safety Officer, said: “The trade unions have long complained of inadequate health and safety management in schools and hope that these notices will make the council take the actions that are clearly laid out in their own risk assessments and the inspectors report.”

In response, councillor Saima Mahmud, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People that the council had accepted all the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive.

“There’s nothing more important than safeguarding our young people,” he said.

“From September onwards, school staff will be offered extensive training on how to keep accurate records of asbestos containing material. Similarly, asbestos awareness training is now an integral part of the borough’s health and safety training programme, and a working group has been set up with Unison and other trade unions to review and update our policies and procedures, including our original asbestos plan.

“Our schools have an excellent health and safety record and I’m grateful this issue was identified and a plan has been put in place to deal with it.”

“It is very worrying to learn that the Council has not been carrying out its duties to safeguard the children and employees who attend Waltham Forest Schools” – The problem being that a lot of schools dont listen to the councils, and think that these issues are an unecessary waste of money.. Instead of hitting the council, why not get at the schools themselves??

Its really important to have safety plan for each school. and its duties to safeguard the children and employees who attend Waltham Forest Schools.

Regrettably, there is an inordinate amount of regulatory health & safety compliance that schools need to understand.
With an increasing trend to independently-run schools and the risk of infectious diseases, it’s vital that schools either use their local authority or a third party specialist infection control consultancy.
This government’s quest to empower parents and communities to deliver improved education is commendable but, regrettably, overlooks the need for a variety of specialist management skills that would previously have been provided by the local authority.