high risk asbestos

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# What should I do if I think there is asbestos in my house? Health Canada provides the following recommendations for homeowners who may have asbestos in their house: "You can reduce your risk of exposure by hiring a professional to test for asbestos before doing any: - renovations or remodelling - demolitions - additions If asbestos is found, hire a qualified asbestos removal specialist to get rid of it before beginning work. Avoid disturbing asbestos materials yourself. This increases the risk to your health and your family's health. Check with your provincial and territorial workplace safety authorities to find out the qualifications or certifications needed in your area. If you have vermiculite-based insulation in your attic, it may contain asbestos. To avoid exposure to asbestos fibres, do not disturb vermiculite-based attic insulation in any way or attempt to remove it yourself. Make sure: - children are not allowed in the attic - the attic is not used for storage or any other use - professionals that are trained to handle asbestos are hired if you plan to remodel or renovate - all cracks and holes in the ceiling of the rooms below the insulation are sealed - caulking around light fixtures and the attic hatch is applied to prevent insulation from falling through If you have vermiculite-based insulation in your attic, some may have fallen inside your walls over time. Therefore, you should seal cracks and holes with caulking around: - window and door frames - along baseboards - around electrical outlets" From: Health risks of asbestos, Government of Canada ## Where can asbestos be found in the home? You cannot tell if a product contains asbestos just by looking at it. The only way to tell is to have it tested by a laboratory. Asbestos - In the Home CCOHS

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR # Occupational Safety and Health Administration - Part Number: 1910 - Part Number - Title: Occupational Safety and Health Standards - Subpart: 1910 Subpart Z - Subpart Title: Toxic and Hazardous Substances Standard - Number: 1910.1001 App H - Title: Medical Surveillance Guidelines for Asbestos Non-Mandatory - GPO Source: e-CFR Appendix H to § 1910.1001 Medical Surveillance Guidelines for Asbestos Non-Mandatory I. ROUTE OF ENTRY INHALATION, INGESTION ## II. TOXICOLOGY Clinical evidence of the adverse effects associated with exposure to asbestos is present in the form of several well-conducted epidemiological studies of occupationally exposed workers, family contacts of workers, and persons living near asbestos mines. These studies have shown a definite association between exposure to asbestos and an increased incidence of lung cancer, pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, gastrointestinal cancer, and asbestosis. The latter is a disabling fibrotic lung disease that is caused only by exposure to asbestos. Exposure to asbestos has also been associated with an increased incidence of esophageal, kidney, laryngeal, pharyngeal, and buccal cavity cancers. As with other known chronic occupational diseases, disease associated with asbestos generally appears about 20 years following the first occurrence of exposure: There are no known acute effects associated with exposure to asbestos. Epidemiological studies indicate that the risk of lung cancer among exposed workers who smoke cigarettes is greatly increased over the risk of lung cancer among non-exposed smokers or exposed nonsmokers. These studies suggest that cessation of smoking will reduce the risk of lung cancer for a person exposed to asbestos but will not reduce it to the same level of risk as that existing for an exposed worker who has never smoked. Submit Feedback

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WORK SAFE KENTUCKY Free safety resources provided by KEMI HOME SAFETY RESOURCES SAFETY TRAINING SAFETY BLOG ABOUT KEMI CONTACT US O # Asbestos Safety ## Print a Sign-In Sheet | Spanish Version Coming Soon Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber. It was used in numerous building materials and vehicle products for its strength and ability to resist heat and corrosion before its dangerous health effects were discovered. Individual asbestos fibers cannot be seen by the naked eye, which puts workers at an increased risk. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has regulations to protect workers from the hazards asbestos. ## What is the Hazard? Asbestos fibers are released into the air during activities that disturb asbestos-containing materials. The asbestos fibers can then be inhaled and trapped in the lungs. If swallowed, they can become embedded into the digestive tract as well. Asbestos is a known human carcinogen and can cause chronic lung disease as well as lung and other cancers. Symptoms and/or cancer may take many years to develop following exposure. ## Where is the Hazard? The hazard may occur during manufacturing and/or cleanup of asbestos-containing products, performing brake or clutch repairs, renovating or demolishing buildings or ships or cleanup from those activities, contact or cleanup with deteriorating asbestos-containing materials, and during cleanup after natural disasters. Some materials are presumed to contain asbestos if installed before 1981. Examples of these materials, as well as other presumed asbestos-containing materials, may include: • Thermal system insulation. • Roofing and siding shingles. • Vinyl floor tiles. • Plaster, cement, putties, and caulk. • Ceiling tiles and spray-on coatings. • Industrial pipe wrapping. - Heat-resistant textiles. • Automobile brake linings and clutch pads. ## OSHA Standards OSHA has three standards to protect workers from the hazards of asbestos depending on the ty…

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# Asbestos - Control Strategies for Workplaces (cont.) ## What are good practices when working with asbestos? (cont.) - Before leaving the work area, workers must decontaminate their protective clothing by using a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter, or by damp wiping, before removing the protective clothing. If the protective clothing will not be reused, the clothing should be placed in a container as described above. Workers must wash their hands and face before leaving the work area. The employer must provide adequate wash facilities. - A double locker facility is often used to assist workers with cleaning up after working with asbestos, particularly after medium- to high-risk operations. A "double locker" requires two locker rooms with showers between. Using double locker rooms allows workers remove asbestos contaminated clothes in one locker room, then shower off asbestos contaminants, then use the second locker area to keep their street clothes. Double locker rooms are required in certain jurisdictions. Controlling the spread of dust beyond the work area is critically important so that people outside of the work area are not exposed to asbestos fibres. The specific controls to achieve this vary from using polyethylene sheeting barriers for low-risk operations, to setting up a separate ventilation system, maintained under a negative pressure for high-risk work areas. ## Are there medical monitoring requirements for workers? In many jurisdictions, regular medical monitoring is required for workers exposed to asbestos. This monitoring could include: - Medical examinations and clinical tests of a worker which may include a screening chest radiograph, a lung function test, occupational exposure history, and a health questionnaire. - Personal records to show the exposure of a worker to asbestos at the workplace, including the time-weighted average exposure of the worker and of the concentrations of asbestos. The records should also indicate how the concentra…

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Oregon Plus OSHA FACT SHEET Asbestos OAR 437 Division 2/Z Division 3/Z Division 4/Z Division 5 Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring miner- als used in certain products, such as building materials and vehicle brakes, to resist heat and corro- sion. Asbestos includes chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite asbestos, anthophyllite asbestos, actinolite asbestos, and any of these materials that have been chemically treated and/or altered. Asbestos The inhalation of asbestos fibers by workers can cause serious diseases of the lungs and other organs that may not appear until years after the exposure has occurred. For instance, asbestosis can cause a buildup of scar-like tissue in the lungs and result in loss of lung function that often progresses to disability and death. Asbestos fibers associated with these health risks are too small to be seen with the naked eye, and smokers are at higher risk of developing some asbestos-related diseases. Employees may be exposed to asbestos during the manufacture of asbestos-containing products, when performing brake and clutch repairs, when disturbing asbestos-containing materials during the renovation or demolition of buildings, and when renovating or demol- ishing ships constructed with asbestos-containing materials. Custodial workers may be exposed through contact with deteriorating asbestos-containing materials in buildings. There are four standards that address employee exposures to asbestos: OAR [redacted phone].1101 covers construction work, including alteration, repair, renovation, and demolition of structures containing asbestos. OAR [redacted phone].1001 covers asbestos exposure during work in shipyards. OAR [redacted phone].1001 applies to asbestos exposure in general industry, such as exposure during brake and clutch repair, custodial work, and manufacture of asbestos-containing products. OAR [redacted phone] addresses asbestos exposures in agricultural settings. Web site: www.orosha…