Asbestos: A Hazard to Health in All Forms
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 08:42
Asbestos is the generic name for six naturally occurring minerals that have been used in commercial products for their strength, flexibility, low electrical conductivity, and resistance to heat and chemicals. It is composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various metals.
Asbestos can be divided into two basic groups, serpentine and amphibole, which differ in their physical characteristics. Serpentine asbestos develops in a layered or tiered form, whereas amphibole asbestos has a chain–like structure.
Asbestos under the microscope
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 08:40
- How to recognize asbestos under the microscope
- Photographs of asbestos fragments (above) & fibers under the microscope
- Tremolite asbestos micro-photographs
This page illustrates what asbestos fibers or fragments may look like under the polarized light microscope. This document assists building buyers, owners or inspectors who need to identify asbestos materials (or probable-asbestos) in buildings by simple visual inspection.
Where is asbestos found and what does it look like?
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 08:39
Asbestos fibres in building products for the home are either firmly ('non-friable') or loosely bound ('friable').
Asbestos in the Home
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 08:38
The only way to be sure that your home or unit is free from asbestos is to have a professional inspection. If asbestos is found then you will know what precautions need to be taken to minimise your exposure to asbestos-related problems. Contact our office either by email or
phone 02 9418 7750.
Our report will provide you with the following important information:
Symptoms
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 08:36
If you you've been exposed to asbestos and have any of these symptoms , contact your doctor or a specialist or an expert in asbestos related disease. The physician will ask what kind of jobs you've worked on in the past and for how long. He may do testing to determine if any problems are developing or may already exist.
Asbestos Poisoning
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 08:34
Working with asbestos, even for a very short amount of time, can lead to several chronic and fatal medical conditions that can be considered asbestos poisoning diseases. It is possible to develop these conditions without coming in direct contact with asbestos.
The microscopic fibrous crystals of asbestos are released into the air any time the mineral is handled, including the handling of any and all products that contain asbestos as a component.
Transite - Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 08:33
Transite is a composite fireproof material that is used in the building trades and has been used in the building trades since the late 1920s. Until the mid 1980s, transite included 12 to 50 percent asbestos, mixed with Portland cement. Transite was used to make roofing shingles, siding shingles and boards, furnace flues and cement siding, especially where fireproof material is desired.
Types of Asbestos
Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 08:23
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is found throughout 2/3 of the earth's crust. The fibers are stirred up by erosion and carried by the wind. Residents of the area therefore can be exposed to asbestos fibers. Asbestos is also found in ground water near asbestos mines. Residents in these areas drink water that contains asbestos, but ingested asbestos is not hazardous to health.
