Asbestos is a useful material made up of six minerals and used in various products, but it also has dangerous aspects that can cause lung damage, heart damage, cancer, and other disabilities. Exposure to asbestos can be deadly, and almost everyone has been exposed to some extent. Employees of companies that mine or produce asbestos minerals and citizens living near asbestos manufacturing facilities are at higher risk. Asbestos abatement is a strict removal process to ensure dangerous fibers are not released into the air.
Asbestos is a useful material composed of six different fibrous minerals: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite. These minerals come from mines all over the world, including mines in places like South America, Australia and Canada. Best known for its heat retardant ability, asbestos is used in products such as roofing shingles, automotive brake pads, floor tiles, and assorted gaskets. Casing made from this material has also been commonly used over the years to insulate heating ducts and water pipes in homes, offices and other buildings.
While asbestos has some outstanding benefits and is one of a number of useful products, it also has numerous dangerous aspects. Individuals exposed to its fibers can suffer lung damage, heart damage, cancer and other disabilities. Exposure also proved deadly. The negative aspects of this material have caused quite a stir since the 1960s when many of the problems associated with this material were discovered. Lawsuits seeking damages for asbestos-related disabilities and deaths have often been in the news.
In general, almost everyone has been exposed to some sort of asbestos. The fibers enter the air and water during the normal breakdown of the resulting products. These fibers do not evaporate or dissolve. For example, when the brakes are applied to a car, asbestos fibers are released into the air. While such limited exposure is not necessarily cause for alarm, repeated exposure, or exposure to large quantities, can lead to the problems described above.
Employees of companies that mine or produce asbestos minerals have a much greater risk of exposure than the average citizen. Citizens living near asbestos manufacturing facilities are also at risk of exposure. Asbestosis is the term used to describe the disease for those who experience lung problems due to exposure. Mesothelioma is a serious disease that can result from overexposure to this material.
In light of the many concerns about this material, many home, school and business owners have sought to remove the products from their premises. Typically, the removal process, known as asbestos abatement, requires strict procedures to be followed to ensure that dangerous fibers are not released into the air, thereby endangering others. While working on hazardous projects like this one, fellers wear protective clothing and masks to ensure their own protection.
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