| The risks of asbestos are known and have been | | | | asbestos fibers are not disturbed and sealed from |
| for many years. For the most part, people are | | | | being exposed to the air, there is no possibility of |
| aware of the consequences of exposure to | | | | inhaling the fibers as they will not be airborne. |
| asbestos. What most people are not aware of | | | | The dangers of asbestos exist when the |
| is just who is at risk to exposure to asbestos. | | | | asbestos is not sealed and the fibers can be |
| The number of products and places that asbestos | | | | broken up and exposed to air. Asbestos fibers |
| can be found are alarming. Asbestos can be | | | | are very brittle. One fiber can break into many |
| found in places that you never would think that | | | | pieces getting smaller and smaller until they are |
| they would exist. It is important to know these | | | | small enough to become airborne. These |
| things! Asbestos surveys can be conducted on | | | | airborne pieces can get lodged in your lungs |
| properties to alert owners, maintenance, and | | | | causing health problems and even cancer. So |
| construction workers of the presence of | | | | even though you may be exposed to asbestos it |
| asbestos, whether the fibers have been disturbed | | | | may not have posed any health risk to you at |
| and if and how they need to be removed. | | | | all. Knowing what constitutes risky exposure is |
| Asbestos surveys are a good line of defense and | | | | just as important as knowing what products are |
| prevention to asbestos in properties but it can be | | | | most likely to contain asbestos. |
| found in everyday items as well. | | | | |
| | | | | Most people are familiar with asbestos being used |
| Asbestos surveys have been created to analyze | | | | as an insulator against high temperatures. But |
| materials found in a building that are suspect for | | | | asbestos is used in a wide variety of products |
| containing asbestos. They will analyze also if | | | | form plaster, to brake pads to talc. The thought |
| those fibers have been disturbed or not and if | | | | that only shipyard worker, construction workers, |
| they need to be removed. Most asbestos | | | | and maintenance professions are the only ones |
| surveys are followed with a management plan | | | | that are exposed to asbestos is naive and |
| that helps you determine how you will handle the | | | | incorrect. Firemen unfortunately are at high risk |
| materials that do contain asbestos and how to | | | | for exposure. Automotive repair people are also |
| remove them safely and legally. The surveys | | | | at high risk to exposure since asbestos is found in |
| inform property owners, construction workers, | | | | commonly used automotive parts like brake |
| and maintenance crews of the risks that exist in | | | | pads. |
| the work environment but there is no survey | | | | |
| that exists to help people recognize the potential | | | | Regulations have been made in many countries to |
| to exposure in their daily lives. | | | | minimize and sometimes eliminate the use and |
| | | | | manufacture of asbestos. These regulations are |
| So many of us are exposed to asbestos but it is | | | | fairly current and the amount of products made |
| normally not at those levels that can cause health | | | | and distributed before them are still in high use. |
| risks. It is also important to point out that if | | | | |