ASBESTOS AWARENESS Quentin Baker Director of Safety
Introduction - ASBESTOS ASBESTOS IS A FIBROUS ROCK THAT OCCURS NATURALLY IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD AND IS STILL MINED TODAY 3 MAIN TYPES CHRYSOTILE - WHITE ASBESTOS (MOST COMMON) AMOSITE -BROWN ASBESTOS (HARD TO WET) AMOSITE - BROWN ASBESTOS (HARD TO WET) CROCIDOLITE -BLUE ASBESTOS (MOST DANGEROUS) CROCIDOLITE - BLUE ASBESTOS (MOST DANGEROUS) WHAT IS IT? Fortunately the Rarest in USA
HEALTH RISKS b ASBESTOS FIBER BUNDLES CAN SPLIT WITH SMALL FINE FIBERS BREAKING AWAY. (FIBER RELEASE = VERY BAD) b IF INHALED THE BODY IS ABLE TO RESIST MOST OF THE LARGE BUNDLES, BUT SINGLE FIBERS (< 5 µm), WAY TOO SMALL TO SEE, CAN LODGE DEEP IN THE LUNG TISSUE b THIS CAN CAUSE THESE DISEASES: LUNG CANCER - USUALLY LEADS TO DEATH.LUNG CANCER - USUALLY LEADS TO DEATH. ASBESTOSIS - AFFECTS BREATHING, LEADING TO DISABILITY, AND CAN CAUSE DEATH.ASBESTOSIS - AFFECTS BREATHING, LEADING TO DISABILITY, AND CAN CAUSE DEATH. MESOTHELIOMA – ALWAYS LEADS TO DEATH.....MESOTHELIOMA – ALWAYS LEADS TO DEATH.....
ASBESTOS MINERAL Asbestos Rock Fibrous Bundles Under Microscope Fibrous Mineral
POINTS TO NOTE b MORE THAN 3000 PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR OF ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES. b DELAY BETWEEN EXPOSURE AND ONSET OF DISEASE IS APPROXIMATELY YEARS, MAYBE LONGER. b ALL TYPES OF ASBESOS CAN BE DANGEROUS IF INHALED. b RISKS ARE INCREASED 80X BY SMOKING b THE MORE ASBESTOS FIBERS BREATHED IN, THE GREATER THE RISK TO HEALTH b THERE IS NO CURE AT PRESENT FOR ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES
ASBESTOS PRODUCTS SHEETS - FLAT OR CORRUGATED SHEETS - FLAT OR CORRUGATED ROOFING MATERIALS, SPLINED CEILINGS, PARTITIONING, BATH PANELS, FIREDOORS, TRANSITE SIDING, DRYWALL AND ASSOCIATED JOINT COMPOUNDS FLOOR TILES AND MASTIC, WINDOW GLAZING FLUE LINERS - FROM BOILERS / WATER HEATERS FLUE LINERS - FROM BOILERS / WATER HEATERS CAR PARTS (BRAKE AND CLUTCH LININGS) CAR PARTS (BRAKE AND CLUTCH LININGS) Miscellaneous Materials
ASBESTOS PRODUCTS Bath Panel Fire Door Corrugated Roofing Miscellaneous Materials
ASBESTOS PRODUCTS ASBESTOS BOARD Seen in Offices and in Shopping Malls Miscellaneous Materials
ASBESTOS PRODUCTS Damage caused by cable Acoustic Panel - School Hall MORE ASBESTOS BOARD Miscellaneous Materials
ASBESTOS PRODUCTS Surfacing Materials SPRAYED OR TROWELED ON MATERIALS DECORATATIVE FINISHES ACOUSTICAL/SOUNDPROOFING FIREPROOFING FOR BEAMS, ETC.
ASBESTOS PRODUCTS Surfacing Materials Decorative Plaster Sprayed On Fireproofing Damaged Sprayed On Acoustical Material
ASBESTOS PRODUCTS TSI / LAGGING BOILERS STORAGE TANKS/VESSELS MUDDED/WRAPPED PIPE FITTINGS VALVE PACKING GLANDS INSULATION (AIRCELL, PERLITE) FLANGE GASKETS RAINWATER PIPES/DRAINS TEXTILES Thermal System Insulation
ASBESTOS PRODUCTS TSI, Gaskets, Fireproofing and Fire Blankets
WHEN IS ASBESTOS A RISK TO HEALTH ? b CONSIDER THE TYPE OF PRODUCT. b HOW WELL IS THE ASBESTOS BONDED INTO IT? b IS IT LIKELY TO CONTAIN A SMALL OR LARGE AMOUNT OF ASBESTOS ? And, consider the condition of the material And, consider the condition of the material; b GOOD/BAD ? I.E.COVERED, ENCAPSULATED/FRIABLE? b DAMAGED ???? EXTENT OF DAMAGE b LOCATION? WITHIN REACH, SUBJECT TO MECHANICAL DAMAGE, AIR EROSION, OR VIBRATION
FRIABLE? b Must contain GREATER THAN 1% ASBESTOS b Can be crumbled by hand pressure when dry b Surfacing and TSI Materials are Considered Friable
How do we know if a material contains asbestos? b Without an “AHERA” type survey in place on our buildings, we have no way to tell b OSHA states that suspect materials must automatically be considered to contain asbestos without certified testing results b Have material sampled prior to disturbance AHERA – Asbestos Hazard Emergency Repsonse Act
HOW DO WE STAY SAFE ? bDbDbDbDO NOT DISTRUB - Asbestos Containing Building Materials. (ACBM) drill, saw, cut, sand, burnish, puncture bSbSbSbShould you discover damaged suspect material, ISOLATE AND NOTIFY the Director of Safety and Supervision ( (Close the door, make the call) bCbCbCbCurrently, NO city staff has the North Carolina certifications to sample or remove suspect materials bWbWbWbWith the age of many of our buildings, cutting, drilling, sawing or otherwise intentionally disturbing of ACBM is strictly prohibited by law and is very likely to cause a fiber release.
ASBESTOS AWARENESS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION PRESENTATION BUT NOT THE END OF BEING AWARE ASBESTOS CAN KILL !