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The world has long known the fire-resistant quality of asbestos and it was this recognition which saw it become one of the most popular building materials of the 20th century. It was used in many countries across the world, from the UK and the US to China and Japan, and still is the favoured material of the building industry in some countries.
Unfortunately, fire-resistance isn't the only property which asbestos holds. As scientists now recognise, the fibres from which it is made are extremely deadly when breathed in. This is because they get stuck in the lungs, where they may lie for many years without ill-effect, but are likely, in time, to cause an asbestos-related disease.
Sometimes it is more than 60 years before any symptoms appear, but it is now understood that industrial illnesses such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and emphysema are generally caused by asbestos fibres. Sadly, the deadly properties of asbestos were not recognised for many years and the use of asbestos continued up until the 1980s in the UK, a fact which has now led to asbestos-related diseases being identified as the biggest work-related killer.
The continued use of asbestos for so many years has clearly had a huge impact on the number of people who have developed serious lung diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma. However, it has also meant that thousands of houses built in the UK before the mid 1980s contain asbestos, leaving many home-owners worried about the safety of their property.
The first thing which must be highlighted is that the vast majority of houses containing asbestos do not pose much risk to those living in them. It is highly unlikely that anyone will contract an asbestos-related disease if the asbestos in their home is in reasonable condition and is not disturbed. Asbestos particles are present in much of the air we breathe anyway, and these low quantities do not generally cause any health problems.
Where problems begin to arise is when someone wants to have some work done on a building that contains asbestos. Asbestos can be found in all sorts of areas in a house, including in eaves and gutters, in shed and garage roofs, in insulating sheets found in walls and ceilings, in flue pipes and in ceiling tiles. It can even be found in bath panels. If you suspect that your house contains asbestos in any of these areas, or any other, and you are planning to have work done on this part, it is vital that you take suitable precautions.
If you are having someone in to do the work, you must alert them to the fact that they may come into contact with asbestos so that they can wear the correct safety equipment and do not put either themselves or yourself at risk of asbestos-related disease.
If you are planning some DIY, you must be extremely cautious when you are doing any work involving asbestos. If you will be working with sprayed asbestos, insulating boards or lagging, stop right there and call specialised asbestos removal contractors. These products contain a very high percentage of asbestos and are too dangerous for anyone without specialist training to work with.
Sheets of close bonded asbestos materials are less dangerous, and homeowners can safely do some work on them as long as they treat them with care. The best thing to do in this regard is telephone your local council, who will be able to advise you as to the correct method of handling and disposing of the asbestos.
The council is an excellent source of advice when it comes to asbestos, as they have a duty to deal with asbestos waste and generally have a wealth of experience in handling asbestos issues at private and commercial premises.
If you are unsure whether you have asbestos in your home or you are planning on doing some renovation or maintenance where asbestos is present, do consult the experts rather than taking a chance. As the many sufferers of asbestos-related diseases can attest, it simply isn't worth taking the chance.
This article may be published on another website free of charge, on the condition that a link is provided from this article to our website: http://www.youclaim.co.uk/asbestosis-claims-global-asbestos.htm
