About Asbestos
Everyone that has ever heard of asbestos knows that it is
extremely dangerous. Nevertheless, not everyone is familiar with
what this toxin is and what kind of precise dangers it poses to
those individuals that are exposed. Let's take a look at some of
the dangers associated with this hazard below.
Asbestos
is actually a mixture of six natural minerals and it can be
found in older buildings, older textiles and older plastic
products. It is much like fiberglass in consistency and when it
is airborne it is extremely dangerous and toxic to humans and
animals alike. Asbestos, when airborne can lead to a disease
termed, asbestosis - a form of lung cancer. In essence, long
term exposure results in the damage of lung tissues which are
irreversibly scarred and permanently damaged.
Anyone who
has endured long term exposure may begin exhibiting the signs
and symptoms frequently associated with asbestosis: severe
difficulty breathing, spasmodic coughing fits, and in worse case
scenarios, exposure can lead to death. Likewise,
gastrointestinal cancer, cancer of the esophagus, mesothelioma,
cancer of the intestines, is also a risk for those that are
exposed. In addition, exposure to asbestos has also been known
to wreak havoc with the human immune system, weakening it to a
state where it does not function properly. Clearly, exposure to
this natural hazard is extremely dangerous. Yet, what can people
do to protect themselves from exposure? No matter where one
discovers a source of these minerals, whether they are from old
building materials like special cement or other products, it is
imperative that they act quickly to have them immediately
removed.
There are a number of companies that focus on
the removal of this toxic hazard. Testing can be conducted to
detect the hazardous material and if the test proves positive it
is imperative that the property owner takes measures to ensure
its immediate and safe removal.
No one should ever
attempt to remove hazardous, toxic material themselves:
especially in terms of asbestos. The removal of this particular
toxin requires trained professionals who are skilled at handling
such poisons. First, the material will need to be wetted to keep
the it from becoming airborne and threatening those in the
surrounding area. Next, the toxic waste will need to be
professionally contained and sealed and removed from the
location. Workers will be required to wear special equipment to
protect themselves, like respirators, coveralls, rubber boots,
eye protection and rubber gloves to prevent the toxins from
entering the body.
Further, warning signs will need to be
posted during the process of removal. Air conditioning and
heating systems cannot be used during the process of removal
because doing so would promote the toxin's airborne travel.
Likewise, any area being worked will have to be sealed off until
the removal process is complete. Finally, all removal work will
have to be followed up with a decontamination process. Clearly,
the removal of this dangerous toxin is something that is better
left to the professionals that are used to handling it.