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Home | Disease & Illness | Mesothelioma Typically, a person becomes exposed to asbestos from work or even home but a third risk is for people that live near places such as shipyards, steel mills, power plants, refineries, and so on where asbestos is used. What happens is that the fibers become disrupted, contaminating nearby residential areas. In addition to the industries mentioned, other common areas include maritime, construction, automotive repair (specifically brakes and clutches), roofing, and railroads. Just as asbestos can be a serious problem for some types of businesses, it can also exist in many homes and schools. Prior to the 1970s, some materials used for building structures contained asbestos. In fact, an estimated 30 million tons of asbestos fiber was used just in the U.S. during this time, with some winding up in homes and schools. Now that you’ve seen this alarming news, how can you ensure that you’re safe? For one thing, not all houses built before 1970 used any asbestos. Secondly, the chief places where people are exposed to asbestos are industrial sites. Not only that, but more people that were exposed did not get sick as opposed to those who did. However, if for any reason, you r suspect that your home may have asbestos products, contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to request a listing of licensed or certified techniques who can check the home for asbestos and if found, remove it. The EPA may also recommend that you contact a separate firm to have them conduct an assessment to confirm there is no asbestos present from the other finding. If you plan on building a home always check the materials used carefully to see if they are labeled free of asbestos. Until you verify that each product is safe, contact the product manufacturer to find out exactly what is contained in each product. If you are buying a home from a private seller, by law, they are required to disclose any known hazards to you, which would include asbestos. Apartment complexes built prior to 1970 commonly have materials that include asbestos. Keep in mind that while it might be a scary thought of living where asbestos exists, remember, until the product with the asbestos breaks down or opens, the asbestos is not a health risk. OSHA issued standards in 1995 for testing, maintenance, and disclosure of asbestos for the workplace. However, rental property is also categorized under this ruling, meaning that property owners arerequired to disclose to potential renters any existing asbestos. With that information, you can make the determination of living there orlooking at other rental properly. Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Joseph Amiante runs the Asbestos Pain, web site that focuses on a range of resources about asbestos issues. For more details, go to: www.asbestospain.com
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