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The Importance of Asbestos Awareness Training

By: Joshua A Harding


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The purpose of asbestos awareness training is to provide workers with a fundamental knowledge of asbestos, its hazards, and the ability to identify standard asbestos-containing supplies found in the workplace. Knowing where it is found can help workers avoid exposure to this toxic mineral.

What exactly is asbestos?

Asbestos is a group of minerals found almost everywhere in nature and is a fibrous substance. They are found in fireproofing and noise reduction items, electrical insulation, cement, building supplies, shingles for roofing, ceiling plaster, brake linings, and other industrial items. Microscopic asbestos fibers can become airborne, particularly throughout the manufacturing of items containing asbestos. These airborne particles can then be inhaled, leading to mesothelioma, cancer, and different asbestos-associated diseases.

Asbestos is found in many homes, schools, and other types of buildings, and is the reason asbestos awareness training is so vital. In the workplace asbestos will usually be found as insulation above ceilings and on metal beams, in ceiling and flooring tiles produced prior to 1981, and in insulation surrounding ducts. So far as flooring tiles are concerned the majority of 9-inch tiles and a few 12-inch tiles will include asbestos if they had been manufactured prior to 1981.

How can you determine if asbestos fibers are a hazard in your office building?

If a building has asbestos-containing materials a notice will be posted close to any main doorway alerting everyone to its existence. Additionally, if asbestos-containing-insulation exists a sticker will be placed to identify the prospective hazard.

Crucial ways to avoid exposure

Knowing where asbestos is located is the only way you can avoid it. Always presume that all potential asbestos-containing products have asbestos until confirmed otherwise. You can't tell if ceiling tiles, flooring tiles, sprayed-on acoustical ceilings, insulation, or different products contain asbestos fibers simply by taking a look at them. The one way to resolve positively if a material contains asbestos is to have the Environmental Health and Safety Department take samples and study them in a lab. Never take your own sample because it may cause particles to become airborne where they might be sucked in.

If an item is marked as containing asbestos or you believe that it might perhaps include asbestos, such as 9-inch flooring tiles or decorative ceiling tiles, you need to not disturb it. Do not ever disturb, move, cut, hammer, saw, break, or damage any material that you suspect may include this toxic mineral.

You should first check with the Environmental Health and Safety Department before performing any work including repairing or changing ceiling tiles or flooring tiles, changing or repairing insulation around pipes, or removal of "popcorn" ceilings. This includes moving ceiling tiles to perform any type of upkeep work. Previous to carrying out any work you need to first decide if the material contains asbestos. Once you have verified that the products are not dangerous the work can then be performed. However, if asbestos is found it must be removed or sealed by licensed professionals before any work is performed.

Always report any products that have asbestos to the Environmental Health and Safety Department. Until you have definitely proven that any ceiling and flooring tiles, or sprayed-on insulation or plaster does not include asbestos fibers, you should not try to carry out any work involving them. If you come across possibly dangerous material take measures to stop other folks from coming near the material or disturbing it until a professional asbestos abatement workforce can clean it up. Knowing what items contain asbestos and where they are located can help you avoid exposure to others and to yourself.

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