When to Call an Asbestos Professional

Asbestos is a hazardous material that often requires skilled professionals to identify and remove it in a safe manner. Until the 1970s, many types of building products and insulation materials used contained asbestos. And, unfortunately, you can’t identify asbestos simply by looking at it. The only safe way to find out if a material contains asbestos is to have a sample of the suspect material analyzed by a laboratory.   Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.   The bad news about asbestos-related diseases is the long latency period of up to 30 years. Mesothelioma is often diagnosed in the late stages of the disease, making it difficult to treat.   Therefore, if you are planning a construction project on a building developed before 1979, it is strongly recommended that you have an accredited asbestos professional inspect the building.   Federal law requires asbestos professionals to be specially trained on how to properly inspect for asbestos, as well as monitor its removal and the subsequent repair of the property. In addition, special training is required if an asbestos professional wishes to develop asbestos management plans for schools or manage and design asbestos abatement projects. These requirements are meant to ensure that the public exposure to asbestos is minimized.   If you suspect that a material on your property contains asbestos, be safe and assume it does. If done incorrectly, taking a sample to be tested in a laboratory can release asbestos fibers into the air, and become more hazardous than leaving the material alone. Therefore, it is recommended that you call an asbestos professional to take the sample for you. A qualified professional knows what to look for and how to safely take a sample, as well as if a sample is needed at all.   Common products that might have contained asbestos in the past, include:   Drywall Joint Compound H igh Temperature pipe insulation Blankets and paper tape used to insulate steam pipes, boilers and furnace ducts. Resilient floor tiles, such as vinyl asbestos, asphalt and rubber, as well as the backing of vinyl sheet flooring and the adhesives used for installing floor tile. The cement sheet, millboard and paper used to insulate furnaces and wood-burning stoves. The door gaskets in furnaces, wood stoves and coal stoves. Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls and ceilings, as well as textured paints. Older fire-resistant household products, such as fireproof gloves, stovetop pads, ironing board covers and certain hairdryers, as well as a few other items that needed to be fire-resistant and used as insulation.   For more information on asbestos control and removal in California , visit the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) webpage at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Asbestos.html   In Texas , visit the Texas Department of State Health Services Asbestos Program webpage at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/asbestos/about.shtm   To find accredited asbestos professionals in other areas, visit the EPA’s listing at http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/regioncontact.html .     If you fear you have been exposed to asbestos while working on a construction project, contact a mesothelioma doctor to discuss the circumstances. A list of doctor’s specializing in mesothelioma and asbestos diseases can be found at http://www.mesothelioma-news-center.org/medical-treatment/leading-physicans.aspx .   Taking appropriate precautions when working with asbestos is the best means of preventing exposure and associated illnesses. Before embarking on any construction project, learn details about the building or home you intend to alter. The information you gather will save you time and money later, and potentially your life.   

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