While workers may not realize it, there is a risk asbestos may be hidden in the workplace and can potentially disrupt their health and well-being. Defined as a mineral fiber that occurs in rock and soil, asbestos is often found in manufactured goods, fabrics and friction products, and building materials, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Workers frequently do not know they have had contact with asbestos. Given the health hazards of asbestos, employers should educate their workers about the dangers of this material and train them to recognize suspect materials that may contain asbestos.
Recently, the Senate passed a resolution recognizing the 11th annual educational week called “National Asbestos Awareness Week.” The week is part of a bigger campaign to raise awareness about the risks of asbestos exposure called Global Asbestos Awareness Week.
Occupational exposure to asbestos
Occupational exposure to asbestos is common: The World Health Organization stated there is an estimated 107,000 fatalities worldwide each year due to asbestos exposure. Health effects of asbestos include lung-related diseases and cancers.
Industrial workers, especially in the steel industry, are often exposed to asbestos on the job. Steel sheet workers have a high rate of indirect contact with asbestos because sheet metal may have been coated with asbestos to make it fireproof. They might also be exposed to asbestos wherever workers had previously applied insulation that may have included asbestos.
Tips to prevent asbestos exposure
Since workers could regularly have contact with asbestos without being aware of it, employers should train workers to both recognize the hazards of asbestos exposure and also control the level of contact.
Here are four tips to help train workers:
- Identify possible sources and locations of asbestos. Since there are several ways employees can be exposed to asbestos, employers should make sure workers learn where they could potentially con-tact building materials or products containing asbestos.
- Communicate the presence of asbestos in the workplace. As part of a checklist on the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s site, employers could make sure they communicate to employees the materials that have or potentially may contain asbestos.
- Provide workers personal protective equipment. Workers who may potentially disturb asbestos containing materials should be supplied with personal protective equipment (PPE) like respirators and protective clothing to limit exposure. Additionally, companies should train employees on how to properly remove this PPE in case they have been in contact with asbestos.
- Remind them of exposure limits. According to OSHA, the exposure limit for asbestos is 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air on an eight-hour shift. This exposure is also restricted to a maximum of 1.0 f/cc for a 30-minute period. The only way to determine exposure is to conduct air monitoring, as asbestos has no warning properties.
For more information, visit www.totalsafety.com or call (888) 328-6825.
