Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye ?
If you are in the construction business or employed by an industry that uses products containing asbestos, you may wonder “Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye”? Generally asbestos fibers are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos becomes...
Causes of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer in the general
population. However, in individuals that were exposed to
asbestos, it is not as rare. That's because the only known,
established cause of Mesothelioma is asbestos. There are experts
that have...
"Lean on Me"Cancer through a Carer's Eyes
Mesothelioma Cancer Asbestos BlueBy Lorraine Kember He was only a child when it begun And he played as children do In his yard, with his toy cars and tip trucks But his sand was asbestos blue… In December 1999, my husband and I were walking home...
Living In Fear Of Mesothelioma
Living In Fear Of Mesothelioma
First of all, you may be wondering what mesothelioma is, and why I should be scared of it ?.....
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is the medical name for cancer of the lung, and is usually caused by exposure to...
Silent Death…Are You at Risk?
Did you know that every year over 2000 people are sentenced to death without trial? But the verdict does not come from a jury of their peers or even from a judge. It is read by doctors wearing little white lab coats in private offices all across...
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 subjected to much litigation from victims over the years. The legal emphasis however, has now shifted from slapping lawsuits on errant parties to adopting preventive measures. A sizeable body of legislation has developed over the past three decades. Most recently, The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations (CAWR) were amended for the fourth time in 2002. Regulation 4 aims to protect employees by holding ‘dutyholders’ culpable if they do not comply with strict guidelines in monitoring Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) on their property or buildings. Only a rigorous asbestos survey can satisfactorily meet these conditions.
A Duty holder's Responsibility:
According to the Approved Code of Practice L127 (ACOP) of Regulation 4, a duty holder is either the owner of non-domestic premises or someone who is responsible for the maintenance of the site. The duty holder is bound by law to ensure that a well-qualified and experienced expert from a specialist company inspects the building for asbestos. It is also necessary to ascertain that the asbestos survey is conducted according to the guidelines specified in ‘MDHS 100: Surveying Sampling and Assessment of Asbestos-containing Materials.’ Broadly, the results of the survey should reveal where the ACMs are located, provide an
assessment of the condition of the materials and to measure the risk of exposure from the materials. The information garnered should subsequently be noted in an asbestos register, which should be accessible to anyone likely to be exposed to the ACMs.
Types of Asbestos Surveys:
The MDHS lists three types of asbestos surveys. Type I, or the presumptive survey only locates the presence of asbestos and usually leads up to a Type II or Type III survey. In Type II, or the sampling survey, samples of the material are gathered and subjected to tests in a UKAS accredited, ISO 17025 compliant laboratory. Finally, the Type III survey investigates every area of the premises and is known as a pre-demolition or major refurbishment survey. The asbestos survey must be carried out only by an organization that adheres to the standards stipulated in the regulations. While it is not necessary to remove ACMs that are in a satisfactory condition, the law demands that the asbestos survey be carried out to manage the ACMs in such a way that the risk of injury is minimized to the greatest extent possible.
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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