5 Places Where You Can Find Asbestos in 2018
Every year, deadly diseases produced by asbestos exposure such as mesothelioma and asbestosis are responsible for hundreds of deaths. For this reason, regular campaigns against mesothelioma are made, focusing on preventing asbestos exposure, banning it, enforcing regulations, and strengthening national and international partnerships. Speaking with a mesothelioma lawyer can greatly benefit anyone diagnosed with mesothelioma, especially those diagnosed with Stage four mesothelioma or are showing Stage four mesothelioma symptoms.
It is easy to assume that asbestos exposure is no longer a dangerous thing to be worried about. Most of the United States population think asbestos was banned a long time ago. But unfortunately, it was not.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the USA tried to present a ban in the year 1989, but it was not enough for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which overturned it the proposition.
Nowadays, the use of asbestos is regulated in this country but is not banned. Just a few products like spray-on insulation, flooring felt, and commercial paper are not allowed to contain asbestos. On the other hand, many products are permitted by law to contain asbestos, most of these being part of construction materials.
For this reason, asbestos is highly used in construction, existing in places which we usually associate with protection, becoming sources of asbestos exposure. Is very important for you and your loved ones to know the places that may contain asbestos because the only way to avoid these deadly diseases is to prevent asbestos exposure. If you or a loved one was recently diagnosed with Stage four mesothelioma cancer, we may be able to help you. Stage four mesothelioma is a deadly stage in which time is typically running low for stage four mesothelioma treatment. Here at the Asbestos Cancer Organization, we are fully suited to help anyone diagnosed with mesothelioma, even with a low mesothelioma prognosis.
Here are five places where you can find asbestos.
Churches
Used for soundproof and fire prevention purposes, asbestos was used in the construction of old churches. People do not usually associate this mineral with soundproof materials, but asbestos was included to acoustical panels to increase their strength. These panels were placed on the walls and ceilings to reduce the reverb and echo of the music played inside these places.
Asbestos was also included to insulate organ blowers and bellows, and as wrap insulation around steam pipes and boilers. People who are in charge of the churches´ maintenance present high risks of asbestos exposure, but the truth is that anyone who works in these places is at risk.
Our Lady of Lourdes Church located in Seaford, Delaware, Rose of Sharon Primitive Baptist Church located in North Nashville, Tennessee, and Barrington Congregational Church located in Barrington, Rhode Island, have had asbestos problems in recent years.
Schools
U.S. government created a separate set of regulations in the year 1986 to protect people attending schools because there were major proofs of the high presence of asbestos in these places. Asbestos at schools can be found in the insulation around pipes and boilers, HVAC ductwork, ceiling tiles, and vinyl flooring.
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act or AHERA, demands schools to search for products that contain asbestos inside their buildings, create plans to manage asbestos, and take the correct measures to prevent and reduce asbestos exposure. Although this organization was formed in the late 1980s, asbestos exposure is still present in many schools.
In 2017, to promote asbestos exposure prevention, the EPA gave $631,000 to five New England state agencies to create and meet asbestos management projects to eliminate its presence from the schools.
Public buildings
Most public buildings such as police stations, cinemas, restaurants, government buildings, grocery stores, pharmacies, barbershops and hair salons, shopping malls, and airports built before the year 1980 are likely to have asbestos in their construction materials. Unfortunately, also new buildings are being constructed including asbestos in roofing materials, cement piping, vinyl tiles, among others.
The positive thing of all this is that when asbestos is found in these buildings, federal authorities require the owners to safely eliminate all presence of the unhealthy material. Those who do not do it are fined. There have been people doing time in jail for violating these laws.
In 2014, the Stamford Police Department in Connecticut was fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration with $2,720 for not processing asbestos materials found on the ceiling of a police station according to correct guidelines.
Hospitals
Asbestos was used in hospital constructions to prevent fires and protect medical devices from overheating. Of all the people working in a hospital, maintenance and construction workers are the ones most affected by asbestos exposure.
The Ivinson Hospital at the University of Wyoming faced legal issues due to the discovery of asbestos in the flooring before its demolition in the year 2011. Australian hospitals are also known for its extensive use of asbestos.
Your own home
People tend to think asbestos is only found in older homes, but the truth is that many new houses include asbestos materials. So, there is a good chance that your own home has asbestos.
Older houses used many materials that contained asbestos, such as attic insulation, electrical panels, plumbing fixtures, popcorn ceilings, drywall and cement sheets, vinyl floor tiles, coiler and fireplace insulation, and plaster, putties and caulking materials. New homes include asbestos in the cement shingles, sheets and pipes, flooring and roofing materials, and pipeline wrap and millboard.
If you suspect the presence of asbestos in your own house, do not try to remove it by yourself. Is very important to seek the help of an expert in this field to safely remove asbestos from your house.
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