What are the dangers of Asbestos Exposure

The Second World War was the time when asbestos was used the most by industry since it's introduction in the 19th century. Asbestos fibres being found in the environment forced the Consumer Product and Safety Commission to issue laws controlling the use of asbestos.

The 1980's saw the Environmental Protection Agency take asbestos to task and issued laws stating that asbestos could only be used in uses, which it could be proven that asbestos had been used prior to the laws being passed. Mounting environmental pressure forced people to become better educated about the effects and harm that asbestos poses.

It is a mineral that occurs naturally in fibre bundles, and the bundles can be separated into individual fibers. Asbestos has some remarkable properties; it is fire and chemical resistant as well as not conducting electricity. Construction and manufacturing were ready willing and able to put asbestos to work in a wide variety of applications.

Stage curtains, caulk, joint compound as well as less obvious uses such as crayons are just some of the uses for asbestos. If a building was built in or before the 1980's then you should assume that it contains asbestos as it's use was wide spread in the construction industry right up until it was banned. As long as the fibers are encased and contained, with little chance of exposure under normal conditions, all of these uses are legal.

Asbestos exposure is taken very serious, as some of the diseases associated with asbestos are untreatable. Inhaling asbestos fibres commonly results in asbestosis, an inflammation of the lungs caused by the asbestos fibres aggravating the lining of the lungs.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is often found around either the heart or lungs.

The health hazards of asbestos have only been realised in the last 30 years by the legal and medical profession. Asbestos exposure symptoms may take up to 50 years to show, it is for this reason that the medical profession took so long to links asbestos to the diseases that it causes.

After the medical profession proved the link between asbestos, litigation by lawyers has caused industry to revaluate the use of asbestos and it's use has declined. Follow the right safety guidelines and it is legal for manufacturers to use asbestos.

The author of this web articles has written many other articles about asbestos. If you are interested you can find links to some of their other work below.

Asbestos Exposure With Floor Tiles
Asbestos Federal Regulation Removal Siding
Asbestos Fiber Romans
Asbestos Floor Sealing
Asbestos Floor Tile Removal Heat Machine
Asbestos Floor Tiles Removal
Asbestos Flooring Adhesive Removal Safety