Asbestos Insulation: The Lurking Danger
Asbestos insulation contains asbestos, a mineral widely used in building materials because of its stability and heat resistant properties. However, asbestos is much in news because of the dangerous diseases caused because of its exposure. All...
Asbestos Related Mesothelioma Cancer : Blood Test
Asbestos Cancer Mesothelioma is a malignant disease to take a
lot of lifes each year, many people concentrate their effort in
to know o find out a cure for this disease, and in other
economic aspect of the asbestos, such as money...
Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma
Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma An exciting new treatment that has given hope to mesothelioma victims is called gene therapy. Gene therapy attempts to decipher why proteins within certain cells cause them to be resilient to cancer while some cells do...
Help With Mesothelioma- Need Of The Hour
Help with mesothelioma refers to assisting those people who are suffering from mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a serious form of cancer that affects the lining of abdominal organs and lungs. Asbestos exposure is the major cause behind these deadly...
The Asbestos Survey: An Unavoidable Need
Now that the health hazards associated with asbestos have become a matter of common public knowledge, the necessity of conducting asbestos survey has become unquestionable. Industry owners who knowingly used the carcinogenic substance have been...
Asbestos Exposure: Risks Involved And Solutions
Cause of Mesothelioma Cancers
Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma cancer, a life threatening disease. Asbestos exposure is so dangerous that even a short-term exposure or a minute exposure to asbestos may cause mesothelioma cancer. Only a doctor or a specialist in occupational medicine can tell you about the possibility of developing mesothelioma cancer after making queries about what kind of jobs you have worked on in the past and for how long. The doctors do this making assessment of your asbestos exposure and then evaluating your possibility of contacting asbestos related disease.
Who Are At Risk for Asbestos Exposure?
Chances of asbestos exposure are more if you have worked in companies dealing in building and insulation materials, fireproofing, cement, pipe covering, refractory materials, gaskets, floor tiles and joint compounds. Auto mechanics particularly those who repair brake or clutch are also at the risk of asbestos exposure.
When Asbestos Exposure Becomes Harmful
There is no proven test to determine whether a material contains the asbestos or not. Manufacturers do not label the materials containing asbestos. In old materials, it becomes more difficult to confirm whether it poses the risk of asbestos exposure from the manufacturer because we do not know its source. When you have no other option, it is always better and safer to assume that material contains asbestos.
Keep it in mind that asbestos fibers released in the air
are responsible for asbestos exposure. Asbestos in intact condition is not a health hazard. If asbestos-containing material is friable i.e. if it crumbles easily then chances of asbestos exposure increases, particularly if it is dry and damaged. If we try to sand, saw, hammer, drill, pull apart or disturb in any other way then even non-friable material may start releasing fibers in the air.
Finding the Substitute
Government banned the use of asbestos due to increasing awareness about harmful effects of asbestos exposure. Scientists are trying to develop new materials as a substitute to asbestos. Fiberglass has emerged as most popular substitute to asbestos. However, fiberglass also is not completely safe material. Exposure to airborne fiberglass or even direct contact with fiberglass may result into irritation of skin, eyes, nose and throat. Inhalation of fiberglass may lead to bronchitis. It may cause permanent damage to lungs and airways ultimately resulting in lung cancer. Nevertheless, experts still feel that fiberglass is far better than asbestos.
About the Author: Kirsten Hawkins is a asbestos and mesothelioma specialist from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.asbestosblog.org/ for information on asbestos reform, mesothelioma lawsuit news, and more.
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