Safety First
Asbestos Safety Tips
Asbestos Awareness
You must be trained annually in Asbestos Awareness and
follow the Stop Work principles.
Asbestos was extensively used in building
materials from 1950 through 1980.
Even today we are all exposed to low
concentrations of asbestos fibers in the air.
The three main diseases are Asbestosis,
Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma. These are
latent and insidious in that they affect you
later in life. Smokers who are exposed to
asbestos fibers in some cases have a 90%
increase in the possibility of developing
cancer from Asbestos.
Where you find asbestos in the workplace:
If you come upon asbestos or what you suspect to be
asbestos in the workplace, Don’t touch it, disturb or
remove it. You must stop work and take the following
steps:
•
Immediately notify your supervisor and HSE
professional contact
•
Your management will contact the client who must
have it remediated by a certified asbestos abatement
specialist
•
Only after remediation can you return to work in the
area
Remember:
•
The primary route of exposure of asbestos is inhalation
of the fibers into the lungs. This is the main cause of
lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma
•
Insulation and sprayed or troweled on
coatings, pipework and boilers
•
Thermal insulation on ceilings, and
inside ducts
•
The secondary route of exposure is through fluid
ingestion. This can be associated with cancers of the
esophagus, stomach and intestines
•
Mastic undercoats on tile flooring,
drywall joint compounds
•
Asbestos fibers are only dangerous when they are
airborne
•
As long as asbestos is not damaged it won't be a risk
to you