Archive for the 'Asbestos' Category

Asbestos is the cause of much concern in the United Kingdom today. It is believed to be responsible for a number of diseases such as asbestosis.

Asbestosis is a chronic condition causing inflammation of the tissue inside of the lungs. Some symptoms of asbestosis start around fifteen to twenty years after you have been in contact with asbestos. The symptoms often begin to appear gradually and a shortness of breath is the most common.

Often there is a cough that will gradually get worse as years go on. It is easy to ignore a cough at first but asbestosis related coughs become more troublesome over long periods of time.

Chest pain is another common symptom associated with asbestosis. It is a good idea to get all chest pain checked out by a doctor in order to discover the cause as it can be the result of many health problems.

There is another symptom of asbestosis which is extremely rare. The ends of the fingers swell up and appear to be very red as a result of a fluid build up. The term for this symptom is’ finger clubbing’ it is a very rare symptom.  Read more...

In any industrial or hobby crafts production s air cleaning devices must sometimes be chosen or employed to clean the local environment of particulate contaminants, strong odors or sometimes solvent smells or vapors. What determines the choice or choices of which devices or devices make the final grade?

One of the most important considerations when making the decision as to which type of dust collector is chosen is “concentration and particle size of the material” to be filtered out. Particle size is measured generally in the heating and filtration trades in the measurement term “microns”. One micron is equal to 1 / 250.000 of an inch. Particles range in size from the very fine (0.1 micron to 1 micron) to large particles of up to 100 microns in size. Because people inhale particles less than 10 microns in size into the deepest parts in their lungs the authorities who make the final decisions on choosing which type of form of dust collector should be chosen must take into their final decision and be most concerned about even this apparently very small sized particulate matter.  Read more...

The word “Asbestos” often strikes fear in the heart of homeowners. The presence of it most homes built prior to the mid-1970s is hard to avoid. But removing it poses significant dangers, so if you are considering asbestos removal be sure to consult reputable experts.

Asbestos becomes dangerous when it tears, breaks down or becomes disturbed, exposing its tiny carcinogenic fibers to the air in your home. Inhaling the fibers has been linked to serious respiratory conditions including lung cancer. Because of these dangers it is necessary to hire expert professionals to handle the removal of asbestos from your home.

Removal is not always necessary. Some experts recommend that it not be removed unless the fibers have been exposed and have become airborne. Encapsulation can often effectively prevent airborne exposure. A homeowner ought check for tears or disintegration regularly, but the typical cause for removal is construction, installation, or other work that could disturb the asbestos or involve the replacement of fixtures or appliances filled or covered with it.

If you need to remove it, have a home inspector or hazardous material specialist survey and assess the material. An inspection should give you information about what can be encapsulated, what needs to be completely removed, and how the removal process should be handled. Then contact contractors who specialize in removing asbestos for bids.  Read more...

Recently it has been discovered that around half of the UK’s homeowners are oblivious to the fact that asbestos and asbestos containing materials may be present in their homes. Some materials were even used up until the 1990’s. The danger asbestos poses should not be underestimated.

The BLF (British Lung Foundation) has recently conducted a survey that has since prompted them to give a warning to those who are thinking of carrying out DIY tasks on their properties. The survey of nearly 2000 people showed that one third of homeowners living on the North West thought that the asbestos in residential locations had been removed.

Asbestos is often present in toilet cisterns, floor tiles, boiler jackets and sometimes even carpets and textured ceiling coatings.

Just 27% of the people who answered the survey indicated that they would check their home for possible asbestos before carrying out any DIY jobs.

Around 14 million homes were constructed when asbestos materials were used frequently. For this reason the charity is highlighting the importance of conducting home improvements safely. By having this knowledge on the risks the charity are hoping to prevent many DIYers from developing the lethal mesothelioma asbestos related cancer 15- 50 years later.  Read more...

A recent survey has shown that people are not always aware of asbestos and the precautions required for protecting themselves from the deadly substance.

A public health warning has recently been issued in Staffordshire following the theft of a trailer that was stacked high with asbestos containing toxic materials. Police looking into the case have suggested that the criminals may dump the toxic asbestos and therefore they are worried about the possible health risks this poses. If anybody suspects they have seen the asbestos the police ask that they inform them straight away so damage limitation can be conducted.

A lorry was used in the theft of the trailer which belonged to a skip hire company located in Burton on Trent last Tuesday night. The police have suggested that a reward will be available to anyone who comes forward with evidence that leads to the conviction of those guilty of committing the theft.

The material asbestos became popular in the building trade many years ago due to its ability to absorb and its resistance to chemicals and heat. Often fibres of asbestos were woven into carpets in order to make them heat and fire resistant. Asbestos used to be used commonly in hot plates due to its ability to withstand excessive temperatures.  Read more...

If you have worked in an industry where asbestos has been present you may be at risk of developing asbestosis.

You may have previously heard of the term ‘asbestos lungs’ as this is a common term for the lungs of an asbestosis sufferer. Symptoms of asbestosis begin to surface around fifteen to twenty years after the initial exposure occurs. Often some of the symptoms begin gradually and become more severe over months and years, with shortness of breath being the most common.

The shortness of breath just occur after physical activity at first but then begin happening when you are at rest eventually.

Another common symptom associated with asbestosis is chest pain. It is a good idea to get chest pain checked by your doctor in order to make sure it is not related to your heart.

With asbestosis a cough is present and the cough will get worse as time goes on. The cough may be easy to ignore at first but asbestosis related coughs become more problematic over time.  Read more...

Asbestos is known as one of the tough silicates that are found in the natural resources of the planet earth. Due to its extraordinary chemical and physical properties it is widely used in many different types of industries. It is widely known for its use in the flame-resistant materials.

This property makes it able to be used in space shuttles for insulations and in fire-fighters’ uniforms. Its cementing properties makes the asbestos is used in construction industry. More importantly it is also used in the electrolytic cell that produces oxygen in the nuclear submarines.

In 2500BC in Finland asbestos was used in making ceramic pots. Many centuries after in about 300BC in Greece an unnamed substance very similar to asbestos was discovered and reported to have been used in making fire-resistant items. It was not until 60AD that asbestos found its name ‘asbestinon’ that meant ‘unquenchable’ relating to its fire-proof properties in Roman language.

In the early 1900s heath hazards due to asbestos became apparent. The researchers concluded that if asbestos is used in tightly bound form, it did not poses serious problems. However problems arose if asbestos is in the environment in a loosely bound form.  Read more...

‘Asbestos’ originates from a Greek word which means ‘inextinguishable’ and ‘unquenchable.’ It is composed of six different silicate minerals that have long been used due to their tough properties. Each of the minerals are made up of fibrous poisonous crystals. When the crystals are breathed in by humans they can cause serious health impacts. Diseases such as mesothelioma (an asbestos related cancer), lung cancer and the debilitating condition asbestosis can all result from being exposed to asbestos. Using asbestos has been banned by the European Union and the manufacturing of the substance in now also forbidden.

In order to test environmental samples suspected to contain asbestos experts usually use electron microscopy technology. Typically gravimetric techniques are used today although this technique can fail to find very small but dangerous fibres.

Asbestos had become very popular in the building trade during the end of the nineteenth century sue to its ability to absorb, general strength, heat and fire resistance and resistance to electrical and chemical exposure. When used due to its resistant to heat the asbestos fibres were often mixed with cement and found to be woven into carpets and mats. Asbestos was even used in ovens for hotplate wiring due to its ability to withstand high temperatures.  Read more...

A derelict building in the Friar Gate Arches area of Derbyshire was recently turned into a blazing fireball after suspected arson. However, fire-fighters were unable to access the inside of the building, which meant that putting the fire out took much longer that would normally be the case.

The Derbyshire fire service estimate the fire was started by arsonists late morning, but due to the chance that there were dumped asbestos and gas cylinders within the building, the fire crew was unable to enter and were forced to try and put out the flames from outside. The area is a very well known fly tipping area and it is suspected that amongst the items left there, were asbestos and other dangerous chemicals. What made the building more dangerous was the fact that the was only one entrance and exit into the large building and so evacuating the fire-fighters should it have been necessary would have posed serious risks.

It took around ten hours for the fire-fighters to fully extinguish the blaze, and during this time in order to protect the general public a 100m exclusion zone was enforced. Even once the fire was killed, members of the crew remained at the site until well in to the evening, and the area remained inaccessible to the general public.  Read more...

How To Spot Asbestos

Asbestos is composed of thin, long fibrous crystals and is a naturally occurring mineral that as used frequently in the building industry in the 1950’s to 1980’s due to its resistance to heat, chemicals and its strength.

Asbestos is used in many materials and building products such as insulation, cement, tiles, roofs and electrical wires. If you live in a building that was constructed before the nineteen fifties you may still have asbestos in your home. This is because any renovations or maintenance work carried out on your property could have used asbestos containing materials.

Identifying and spotting asbestos is not an easy task. Often asbestos is bedded into materials commonly used in the building trade which makes it hard to spot. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) have now published a gallery of images of items containing asbestos in order to help tradesmen in particular be aware of what it looks like.

Asbestos is very dangerous when breathed in and if you are working near damaged asbestos or exposed to low levels over time your health could be at risk. If an area you are working on or near is suspected to contain asbestos it is wise to stop working, move away from the area and seek expert advice. Asbestos is not generally dangerous if undisturbed but can become problematic if it is damaged.  Read more...