Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Short Term Exposure To Asbestos Is Not Normally A Health Risk

By Clare Westwood


Asbestos and possible health risks associated with it has been a hot news topic recently. The great amount of publicity and court cases in the media has raised concerns for many. Confusion has arisen as to possible danger of short term exposure to asbestos. The answer is no, under normal circumstances it is usually not dangerous.

The main issue is not really whether you have been in contact with it or not. It is how many of the fibers you have inhaled during the contact period. Short term exposure is not really dangerous in normal circumstances.

Just because it is found in some places like old houses in the tiling or insulation does not mean people working in the area will get ill from it. This type of situation is not thought of as being hazardous because in reality, it is quite common in smaller doses and people are contacted with it regularly.

In fact many of us do not even know it. Because of qualities such as resistance to heat, it has been used for a number of applications in many older buildings. The material itself is not dangerous. Since the end of the nineteenth century it has been used for many applications. It was for instance mixed into cement for building, woven into mats or used as insulation for electrical wire.

When people know they will be around the material, they can wear masks or respirators to keep from inhaling the fibers. Even the small masks that are disposable would work for safety reasons. Many repeat instances will require respirators that can be used more than one time. There are smaller versions of gas masks that are used in chemical combat situations that can be bought as well. Both of these things are efficient in keeping away the harmful component.

Remember that exposure to asbestos for a short time should not be reason for alarm as it will probably not be harmful. If you feel though that you may inhale the fibers from it, then don't hesitate to wear a mask or respirator of some kind to keep yourself safe without worry.




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