This document provides information about asbestos, including what it is, its health risks, and safety measures. Asbestos refers to naturally occurring minerals composed of soft fibers that are highly resistant to heat, corrosion, and electricity. While useful as an insulator, inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers can cause serious health issues like asbestosis, mesothelioma, or lung cancer decades later. The document outlines who is most at risk of exposure, where asbestos is commonly found in buildings, and precautions like proper training and protective equipment to safely handle asbestos and minimize exposure.

1. Asbestos Awareness: Things You Should
Know to Stay Safe
By
Training Express

2. Ever heard of asbestosis or mesothelioma? Asbestos is a serious threat to many people who are involved
in the maintenance and repairing jobs of old buildings. Although asbestos exposure does not have an
immediate impact on your health, asbestos fibres can lead to fatal medical complications. In this article,
you can start your journey of asbestos awareness. Also, you will learn about the safety measures
required to save yourself from asbestos contamination.
Asbestos: What is it?
Asbestos refers to six naturally occurring silicate minerals. These minerals are composed of soft and
flexible fibres that are highly resistant to corrosion, heat and electricity. Each fibre of asbestos is made of
many microscopic fibrils. These fibrils can get released into the atmosphere because of erosion and other
processes.
The quality of asbestos makes it an effective insulator. Besides, we can use asbestos in cloth, paper,
cement, plastic and other materials to make them more robust.
Nevertheless, asbestos fibres can have long-term effects on the human body. If someone inhales or
ingests asbestos dust, some of the fibres can remain trapped in the body for a long time. Over time, the
trapped fibres can cause inflammation, scarring and genetic damage. Additionally, inhalation of asbestos
fibres can result in serious lung conditions and cancer.
Explore our course on asbestos awareness

3. The types of asbestos
‘Asbestos’ is a technical term that refers to multiple types of minerals. There are six identified types of
asbestos. Moreover, all these types belong to the amphibole and serpentine mineral families.
Chrysotile
Chrysotile (white asbestos) is the most common form of asbestos. You can find them in the roofs,
ceilings, walls and floors of domestic and nondomestic buildings. In the past, people used chrysotile in
the manufacturing of gaskets and boiler seals, automobile brake linings, and insulation for pipes, ducts
and appliances.
Amosite
Amosite (brown asbestos) was frequently used in cement sheets and pipe insulation. You can also find
them in insulating boards, ceiling tiles and thermal insulation products.

4. Crocidolite
Crocidolite (blue asbestos) was convenient for insulated steam engines. The other usage of blue
asbestos included spray-on coatings, pipe insulation, plastics and cement products.
Actinolite
Actinolite has sharp, needle-like fibres. People can easily inhale or ingest these fibres. This type of
asbestos is generally dark in colour. Actinolite is a formation of other minerals including calcium,
magnesium, iron, silicon. This particular asbestos was utilized in cement, insulation materials, sealants,
paints and drywalls.

5. Anthophyllite
Anthophyllite had limited use for construction materials and insulation products. The colour of these types
of asbestos can be grey, dull green or white.
Tremolite
Tremolite is popular for its heat resistant properties. Tremolite, like other asbestos in the amphibole
family, has sharp fibres that you can ingest or inhale easily. The colour of tremolite varies from milky white
to dark green. You can find this type of asbestos in other minerals such as talc and vermiculite. People
used tremolite in a variety of products: paints, sealants, insulation, roofing and plumbing materials.

6. Asbestos exposure
People get exposed to asbestos as they breathe tiny asbestos fibres within the air. How does the
asbestos get into the air? It can come from the natural deposits of asbestos in the earth. Besides, some
commercial products contain mineral asbestos.
How does asbestos get into air?
Asbestos fibres usually get into the air because of the subsequent reasons:
● Erosion of natural asbestos on the earth’s surface or weathering of old products that contain
asbestos
● Use of natural deposits of asbestos for crushing rocks
● Handling, cutting, or crushing old asbestos-containing products during building projects
● Disturbing soil which is contaminated by old asbestos-containing products during recreational or
other outdoor activities
● Production and distribution of consumer products contaminated with asbestos
● Activities like cleaning that stir up dust containing asbestos from natural deposits or products
● Gardening in asbestos-contaminated soil
Asbestos pollution: Dependencies
The amount of asbestos into the air depends on many aspects, such as:
● The location
● The type of soil or material in which the asbestos exist
● The lifetime and characteristics of the host material
● The weather conditions
● The intensity of activity around the sources of asbestos

7. The asbestos fibres that go into the air act the same regardless of the source of origin. People may
swallow asbestos fibres or get the fibre on their skin. However, the effect of these types of contact is
minimal without a large quantity of exposure. The primary health issues caused by asbestos fibres derive
from breathing exposures.
Who is at risk from asbestos?
Workers who carry out maintenance and repair jobs in older buildings are at particular risk. Why is it so?
It can happen considering they breathe in more asbestos fibres. The people who are at higher risks
include:
● construction and demolition contractors, roofers, electricians, painters and decorators, joiners,
plumbers, gas fitters, plasterers, shopfitters, heating and ventilation engineers, and surveyors;
● workers dealing with electronics, e.g. phone and IT engineers, and alarm installers;
● general maintenance engineers
If the asbestos in a site can be readily disturbed, more people occupying the premises will be at risk.

8. Where do we find asbestos in buildings?
Asbestos was in extensive use previously for building purposes. A list of the asbestos products and the
usage of the products are given below:
Asbestos product What is it used for?
Sprayed asbestos (limpet) Fire protection in ducts and to
structural steelwork, fire breaks in
ceiling voids etc.
Lagging Thermal insulation of pipes and
boilers
Asbestos insulating boards (AIB) Fire protection, thermal insulation,
wall partitions, ducts, soffits, ceiling
and wall panels
Asbestos cement products, flat or
corrugated sheets
Roofing and wall cladding, gutters,
rainwater pipes, water tanks
Certain textured coatings Decorative plasters, paints
Bitumen or vinyl materials Roofing felt, floor and ceiling tiles
Source: Health and Safety Executive
Some Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) are more open to damages than others. In general, the
materials with a higher proportion of asbestos will give off fibres more easily.

9. The health risks from asbestos exposure
Most of the asbestos-related problems surface after years of repeated and long-term exposure. Yet, it is
important to remember that no level of asbestos exposure is safe for the human body.
Asbestos fibres accumulate in human tissues through repeated exposure. Eventually, the fibres cause
inflammation and DNA damage. Gradually, cellular changes occur in the human body and these changes
can lead to cancer and other malicious diseases.
Effect on different organs of body affected by asbestos fibres

10. Potential diseases from asbestos exposure
Cancer-oriented diseases Non-cancerous diseases
Mesothelioma: A rare and incurable
ancer that develops in the linings of the
ngs or abdomen.
ung cancer: Approximately 4% of all
ng cancers are attributed to asbestos
xposure.
varian cancer: In 2012, the
nternational Agency for Research on
ancer gave evidence that asbestos ca
ause ovarian cancer.
aryngeal cancer: In 2006, the Nationa
nstitutes of Health confirmed that
ryngeal cancer can be caused by
sbestos exposure.
sbestosis: Inflammation and scarring
f lung tissues.
leural plaques: Fibrous thickening of
he lining around the lungs.
leural effusion: Breathing difficulty du
o fluid build-up around the lungs.
iffuse pleural thickening: Extensive
carring that stiffens the pleural lining of
he lungs, causing chest pain and
reathing problems.
leurisy: Acute inflammation of the
eural lining.
Atelectasis: The lungs under-inflate
because of inflammation and
scarring of the pleural lining.
After the initial exposure, it may take 10 – 70 years to develop asbestos-related diseases. While
asbestosis can take as few as 10 years, the relevant cancers will take 20 – 50 years to progress.

11. Asbestos-related regulations in the United Kingdom
The British government tries to exercise rigorous controls on asbestos handling through the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE). According to a report of the HSE, at least 4.000 people die each year in the UK
from mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer.
The government banned blue and brown asbestos materials entirely in 1985. The import, trading and
reuse of white asbestos is under prohibition from 1999.
According to the 2012 Control of Asbestos Regulations, the owners of non-domestic buildings must be
aware of the presence and state of asbestos in their properties. Furthermore, the owners are responsible
for managing asbestos deterioration in their premises. Employers need to provide asbestos training to
their workers annually in relevant industries.
Controlling asbestos exposure: How to stay safe around
asbestos
People who are susceptible to asbestos contamination need to get proper training and wear personal
protective equipment for safety. If you are living in an old home in which asbestos exists in the building
materials, you should:
● Avoid disturbing all the materials that might release asbestos particles including:
1. Pipe and furnace insulation, siding, flooring, and popcorn ceilings installed between
1950 – 1970
2. Vermiculite attic insulation
● Contact the local environmental agency or certified contractors for maintenance and
replacement works
● Seek professional help for any type of repair works and abide by the safety regulations from
HSE
On the other hand, people who live near natural asbestos deposits or in areas contaminated with old
asbestos-containing materials need to:

12. ● Keep asbestos levels low at home —
1. Using wet methods of cleaning and high-efficiency particulate air vacuums
2. Keeping windows closed in windy weather to block asbestos fibres
3. Using doormats and removing shoes outside the entrance
● Minimise dust inhalation out of home —
1. Using water to dampen the soil before gardening or playing
2. Spraying off terraces with water rather than sweeping the areas
3. Remaining on pavements or grounds covered with grass or other artificial layers on
the soil that limit dust
The HSE does not allow any minimum threshold for asbestos exposure. Thus, it is mandatory to minimise
asbestos pollution at any cost. Due to practical reasons, we cannot eliminate asbestos altogether in near
future. Thus, everyone needs to be aware of asbestos exposure, especially those who work around
asbestos.
Have a risk of asbestos exposure? Train with us.