Are you aware of the dangers of asbestos?: If you are making a living from building and construction, there can be whole host of dangers in your work place. Fortunately, most are relatively obvious and just a broad understanding of the rules and regulations is needed to prevent accidents. Getting to know the ins and outs of workplace health and safety is important, but what about those threats that you cant necessarily see? Asbestos is one such hazard that, if not respected and dealt with properly, can lead to incredibly negative health connotations for any worker who comes into contact with it. November is Asbestos Awareness Month in Australia, so theres no better time to make sure you understand its dangers if you are in building or construction. So what is Asbestos exactly? Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral which is incredibly hazardous if breathed in via air particles. Whilst it sounds complicated, asbestos can effectively be divided into two categories. Firstly, there is the friable variant. This is any material which contains asbestos that can be crumbled or ground into a powder. Its the particularly nasty stuff, and if its identified in your workplace then only a trained specialist should be allowed to remove it. Secondly, there is the non-friable variety. This is ultimately any material that contains asbestos that cannot be crushed into powder form. Common areas that non-friable asbestos can be found is in old cement sheets, drainage pipes or even some floor tiles. Just how dangerous is Asbestos? Put simply, asbestos is incredibly dangerous for any worker that has prolonged exposure to the deadly fibres. Safe Work Australia has outlined the four main diseases which asbestos can cause: * Benign pleural disease. It can take up to seven years for respiratory problems to develop. Its not necessarily fatal, but its not at all pleasant to live with either. * Asbestosis. Usually takes around 10 years to surface. Has the potential to be fatal by the means of either cardiac or lung issues. * Lung cancer. There is potential for a 20 year gap between exposure and the disease developing. Of course, it can be fatal. * Mesothelioma: Longest development period of between 20 to 40 years. Any treatment is usually ineffective. How do you combat Asbestos? Enrolling in the Asbestos Awareness course offered by Capital Training Institute (CTI) is the ideal way to learn about the dangers of this material, and how to protect yourself from any future exposure. The course is actually now mandatory in the ACT, and the likelihood is that the rest of the country will follow suit in the not too distant future. If you are working in building or construction, having a nationally accredited course that shows you understand the dangers of exposure to asbestos will not only look good on your CV, but it has the potential to help protect your long term health, too.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 00:40:40 +0000
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