With the dangers of inhaling asbestos, many companies have hired professionals to come in and remove this dangerous substance. The fibers that make up the asbestos are what are dangerous and can cause cancers such as mesothelioma and other diseases. The asbestos only becomes dangerous when the material it is in breaks down or open and the fibers become airborne. Unfortunately, it only takes a small amount of fibers at very low exposure levels for a problem to occur. Then, the onset of trouble might not show for up to 40 years.



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.

Asbestos is not only a serious problem for some types of businesses, but it can also be found in many homes and schools. Before to the 1970s, some materials used for building commonly contained asbestos. In fact, as much as 30 million tons of asbestos fiber was used in the United States alone during this time, much of it winding up in homes and schools.

Okay, so how can you make sure you are safe in your own home? First, remember that buying a home, and even one built prior to 1970 does not mean asbestos is a problem. Most people that come down with asbestos related health problems worked in industries where asbestos was prevalent, not from exposure at home. In addition, remember that the majority of people exposed to small amounts of asbestos do not become ill.

However, if you have concerns or suspect that your home may have asbestos, you can contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to locate licensed or certified techniques where you live who can check the home for problems and if found, remove it. In addition, the EPA will usually recommend that you contact a separate firm to have them conduct an assessment to ensure there are no conflicts with the 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.

When you purchase a home from a private seller, the seller is required by law to disclose any known hazards to you, including asbestos. Apartment buildings built prior to 1970 may have materials that include asbestos in their construction. Remember that asbestos only becomes truly dangerous when the product breaks down or opens, until then it 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.