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Asbestos Manufacturing
Asbestos was primarily used to manufacture a wide range of products up until the late 1980s. Many materials contain asbestos in Australia today. As such, you may be at risk of asbestos exposure. That is why you should know what asbestos is and how it is made.
This post will give answers to both questions. Other areas discussed include the location of naturally occurring asbestos, types, families, and materials that contain asbestos. You will learn some quick facts about asbestos, its history, dangers, health risks, related diseases, and health and safety laws.
In addition, this article will discuss steps, control measures, and tips on identification, handling, and managing asbestos. Finally, it will mention why it is essential to use a licensed asbestos removalist.
What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is the name provided for the group of silicate minerals that occur naturally. They were popular as building products in Australia between the 1940s to late 1980s. This is because asbestos is resistant to high temperatures and fire. In addition, it can be used as an insulator because it does not conduct electricity.
Location Of Naturally Occurring Asbestos
Naturally occurring asbestos (asbestos in its natural state) can be found in soil and rock formations. An example of a location with naturally occurring asbestos is the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
You can also find naturally occurring asbestos in construction, road building, excavation, and mining. Refer to geological surveys when working in these areas. Geoscience Australia, territory mapping agencies, or even your state can provide such data.
How Is Asbestos Manufactured?
Asbestos deposits are usually underground. Conventional mining practices are used to bring asbestos ore deposits to the surface for processing. For instance, open-pit mining is used to access chrysotile asbestos typically found near the surface. Tunnels may be needed to access other asbestos deposits that are found at varying depths.
Asbestos fibres are formed due to the gradual growth of mineral crystals in veins or cracks in soft rock formations. The width of such veins determines the full-grown length of asbestos fibres.
Types Of Asbestos Mined In Australia
Asbestos mining in Australia ended in 1983, but many other countries still mine it. Locations where asbestos is mined in Australia, include Western Australia and New South Wales. There were smaller operations in Tasmania and South Australia.
The three types of asbestos mined in Australia are brown, white and blue asbestos. White asbestos was the most widely available type found in Australia.
Types Of Asbestos Mineral Fibres
As identified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are six types of asbestos mineral fibres. They include the following:
• Chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos)
• Amosite asbestos (brown or grey asbestos)
• Crocidolite asbestos (blue asbestos)
• Actinolite asbestos
• Tremolite asbestos
• Anthophyllite asbestos
The six types of asbestos have long chains of silicon and oxygen atoms. These atoms combine with metals – like iron and magnesium – to form crystalline asbestos fibres.
Chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos)
Chrysotile asbestos is typically white asbestos. However, they can be grey, amber, or greenish in colour. It accounted for up to 98% of global asbestos production in 1988. When added to concrete mixes, chrysotile fibres provide good reinforcement.
Amosite asbestos (brown asbestos)
Typically, amosite fibres have a light brown tinge. However, they may also come in dark or white colours.
Crocidolite asbestos (blue asbestos)
Crocidolite has a bluish tinge and is known for its high tensile strength and good resistance to chemicals. One of its uses is as reinforcement in plastics.
Anthophyllite, actinolite, and tremolite asbestos
Anthophyllite, actinolite, and tremolite are rarely mined as they do not have significant commercial applications.
Families Of Asbestos Fibres
Amphibolic asbestos fibres
Amphiboles – all other types of asbestos fibres except chrysotile – constitute a serious health hazard. The fibres are very strong and stiff and can penetrate body tissue like the lungs. Eventually, they cause the development of tumours.
Serpentine asbestos fibres
Chrysotile fibres (serpentine fibres) are softer and more flexible than amphibolic asbestos. As such, they cause less body tissue damage.
Asbestos Containing Materials
Generally, you can group asbestos-containing materials into the following two groups:
Non-friable asbestos materials
Bonded or non-friable asbestos materials often comprise less than 15% asbestos and a bonding agent like cement. These release asbestos fibres when they are damaged, disturbed, or worn out.
Friable asbestos materials
You can crumble friable (or loosely bound) asbestos materials by hand. Thus, you may consider a friable asbestos product as one that contains asbestos that can easily crumble. This type of asbestos can easily become airborne and is considered quite dangerous.
Examples of asbestos-containing materials
These include textured paints, insulation, roofing, cement pipes, and floor tiles. Other examples are textiles, adhesives, flat sheeting and corrugated sheeting, and automobile parts like brake pads.
Other examples of products containing asbestos are:
• Asbestos cement.
• Sheet pipes for water supply and sewage piping.
• Building materials like cement sheeting.
Asbestos-containing products in homes
About 33 per cent of Australian homes that were built or renovated earlier than 1990 contain asbestos products. Asbestos-containing products, including plumbing, electrical, roofing, flooring, and wall sheeting. Others are fencing, guttering, concrete framework, putty, and glues.
You may find asbestos-containing products in heaters and air-conditioners, and refrigerators with asbestos insulation. Consider the health risks of environmental exposures if you live near an asbestos-contaminated mine.
Some Quick Facts About Asbestos
• Data from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) reveals that the number of people exposed to asbestos between 1940 and 1979 was about 27 million.
• Each year, asbestos exposures contribute to roughly 250,000 deaths worldwide. This was revealed in a 2018 report by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
• Workplace asbestos exposures lead to over 90% of asbestos-related deaths. This can include deaths from malignant mesothelioma and lung cancers.
History Of Asbestos In Australia
The history of asbestos goes way back to prehistoric times, but its popularity rose in the 20th century. Asbestos became a common, cost-effective choice as a building material.
Timeline Of Asbestos Manufacturing In Australia
Confirm if certain equipment's manufacture, design, commission, or build date were done before 1 January 2004. These include construction materials, insulation products, friction brake products, gaskets, and vehicle and plant equipment.
According to Safe Work Australia, you have to maintain safe practices if you work with such equipment.
The timeline below can give you an estimation of the risk of exposure to some asbestos-containing materials.
The 1800s
Studies show that asbestos was a typical manufacturing material during this time in other parts of the world.
The 1900s
Asbestos was introduced into Australia during the early 1900s.
The 1920s
Asbestos cement materials were manufactured in Australia in the 1920s.
The 1930s
There was a great demand for construction and industrial material in the 1930s. As such, Australia brought a lot of this material from outside the country. Asbestos fibres are known to be easily woven into other materials to strengthen them.
Asbestos Industry Regulations were passed in 1931 in England because of health problems associated with asbestos particles.
The 1940s – 1950s
Australian houses were typically constructed using tile or asbestos-cement roofing during this period. An asbestos-cement combination is malleable and easy to mould. This made it appropriate for corrugated roofing. Besides, asbestos materials were often added as home interiors during the 1950s.
Wittenoom, Western Australia, was the largest supplier of crocidolite asbestos during the 1950s and 1960s. No surprise there. After all, Wittenoom was the first location where asbestos was first discovered in the 1930s.
The 1960s-1980s
Lack of profit and growing health concerns led to the shutdown of the Wittenoom asbestos mining site in 1966. Generally, health concerns in asbestos mining sites like Wittenoom, Baryulgil, and Woodsreef included exposure to toxic asbestos fibres.
Workers in such mines experienced asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. The 1970s and early 1980s saw the final shut down of asbestos mines in Baryulgiul and Woodsreef. Reports show that Australia's per capita rate of use of asbestos was the highest globally between the 1950s and the 1970s.
Asbestos cement mixtures were primarily used for building constructions up until the 1980s. The most common asbestos used was chrysotile (white asbestos). Crocidolite (blue asbestos) and amosite (brown asbestos) were the other popular asbestos in that period.
Mid 1980s
Australia banned the importation and use of both blue asbestos and brown asbestos-containing products.
The late 1980s
Until this time, asbestos was used to manufacture many products such as insulation, floor tiles, roofing, textured paints, textiles, and building and construction materials.
Asbestos-free products replaced asbestos cement materials during the 1980s.
2003
Australia phased out the use of asbestos in the 1980s. The government got asbestos banned entirely in December 2003. This ban covered the manufacture, use, reuse, sale, storage, transport, or import.
Still – there are several asbestos-containing materials throughout the country. As such, home renovators and other tradespeople remain at risk of exposure to asbestos fibres.
Why Is Asbestos Dangerous?
People are not careful enough when handling asbestos-containing materials sometimes. Such poor safety procedures can cause the release of asbestos fibres into the air. Asbestos fibres are around 50 to 200 times thinner than typical human hair, making them difficult to see with the naked eye.
Health Risks Of Asbestos Exposures
The thin sizes of asbestos fibres make them easy to inhale. After that, the fibres are trapped deep in the lungs, where they are likely to cause damage over time.
For example, in the 1950s to 1960s, power tools on building sites caused asbestos fibres to rise into the air. Asbestos materials became airborne when asbestos materials were disturbed, broken, or cut. Subsequently, those who inhaled the dust were exposed to asbestos.
The body can find it difficult to remove the tiny fibres from the lungs. As a result, inflammation and scarring can occur. Additionally, there may be a higher risk of developing long-term health problems like asbestos cancers.
Specifically, this includes asbestosis, lung cancers, and cancers of the ovary and larynx. Other health complications include pleural plaques and mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining). Now, these asbestos cancers may not develop immediately. They can take decades to develop after asbestos exposures.
Asbestosis
Scarring does not cause cancerous tumours to develop where asbestosis is concerned. Rather, the lung keeps getting weaker and stiffer. Symptoms include persistent cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
Lung cancer
Up to 4,000 lung cancer cases diagnosed yearly are attributable to asbestos exposures. The asbestos fibres that are trapped in the lungs result in the formation of malignant or cancerous tumours.
Other Asbestos-Related Diseases
These include the following:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
The risk of COPD is more significant for workers exposed to asbestos. The disease reduces airflow from the lungs to other body parts.
Pleural effusions
This occurs due to fluid accumulating in the pleura (lining of the lungs). Symptoms include coughing, chest pain, and breathing problems.
Pleural plaques
Here, collagen hardens and forms a chalky and harmless substance called pleural plaques. This is caused by damage to the pleura when asbestos fibres are inhaled.
Pleuritis
As the pleura become irritated, pleurisy develops and causes chest pain and difficulty breathing.
Risks For Developing Asbestos-Related Diseases
So, you may ask, what exactly is the cancer risk? Since 1890, asbestos fibres lodged in the respiratory system have been the primary cause of various health issues. However, all forms of asbestos cause cancer in humans.
Cancer risk from asbestos can vary based on the following factors:
• The amount of accumulated asbestos fibres present in the air that is inhaled.
• Fibre types and size of asbestos fibres.
• Length of time of exposure to airborne asbestos fibres.
• Frequency of exposure to the fibres.
• The age of the person when exposure took place.
• The susceptibility of the individual.
Mesothelioma incidences in Australia
The following statistics can act as a basis for a mesothelioma guide in Australia.
• Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that arises due to asbestos exposures.
• The two types of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesotheliomas.
• Generally, these two types of mesotheliomas have a detection period of above 20 years after exposure.
• Second, only to the United Kingdom, Australia records the second-highest mesothelioma death rate globally.
• Over 10,000 people have succumbed to the disease since the 1980s.
• Cancer experts project up to 25,000 more deaths within the next four decades.
Health And Safety Laws In Workplaces
Australia has asbestos regulations to help prevent asbestos exposures. Moreover, there is a body that regulates the workplace handling of asbestos. That governing body is Safe Work Australia. Specifically, Australia's Work Health and Safety Regulation act specifies such laws that regulate the following:
• How to handle naturally occurring asbestos
• Removal of asbestos
• Asbestos training of workers
• They also specify the licensing requirements of abatement professionals
In addition, you can refer to Safe Work Australia's Code of Practice regarding the management and control of asbestos in the workplace. This code can guide you in responding to threats of asbestos exposures. You can even get a guide on identifying asbestos materials.
Responsibilities of employers and workers
Employers have a duty, and workers are responsible for maintaining such adequate controls. Some of these laws include the following:
Employers have to ensure the following:
• Workplace health and safety for their workers.
• Other people's health and safety due to work being done.
• Control of the risks of work done in association with asbestos.
Workers have to ensure the following:
• Responsible and reasonable care of personal health and safety.
• Take care not to negatively affect other people's health and safety.
• Follow established good workplace health and safety policies.
Employers must reduce or eliminate exposure to health and safety hazards. In addition, they should implement a risk management process. Similarly, workers have to be involved in correctly identifying hazards and placing workplace controls.
The role of asbestos training
Asbestos training can be a necessary part of work health and safety practices. Besides, workers have to be trained on workplace hazards and hazard management procedures as a health and safety requirement.
For instance, there should be a clear outline of who removes asbestos-containing materials and how to control asbestos dangers. Otherwise, those working with or near airborne asbestos can risk developing cancer or other asbestos-related diseases.
A health and safety executive or an occupational hygienist can be tasked with such adequate controls. In essence, such executives make sure asbestos exposure standards are followed.
Steps To Reduce Cancer Risk
There are control measures you could adopt to control asbestos exposure and reduce cancer risk. However, you still need to invite a licenced asbestos professional to check for the presence of asbestos or perform the removal of asbestos.
As regards asbestos-related diseases, there is a register to record potential exposures that may develop further. You can record details in Australia's National Asbestos Exposures Register. Consequently, you may register your details with them if you think you have been exposed to asbestos in your home, workplace, or community.
In addition, you may get in touch with trusted patient advocates, cancer doctors, or relevant mesothelioma doctors. There are efficient cancer centres that focus on cancer treatment, research, and education in Australia. They are quite able to deal with issues of asbestos exposure and cancer.
You can use the following as a guide for implementing control measures for different activities in managing asbestos exposures.
Identification controls
• You should get a competent and well-trained person.
• Use NATA-accredited laboratories to test suspected asbestos-containing materials.
Asbestos removal controls
• Make use of wet, non-destructive methods.
• Only use dry removal when wet spray methods are not suitable (like for areas near electrical equipment).
• For friable asbestos removal, you may need saturation and water injection.
When enclosing asbestos
• Make sure to fully cover, seal and prevent access.
• Only enclose non-friable asbestos in cases where removal is not possible.
• Do not use dry sanding or water blasting.
Asbestos disposal
• Double bag or wrap wet asbestos waste in 0.2 mm polythene bags. Then, seal with tape.
• You may place the asbestos in labelled waste bins for secure storage and disposal.
• In some cases, a licenced carrier removes asbestos immediately.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) controls
• Each worker can wear air-purifying or air-supplied respiratory protection for friable asbestos removal. Such protection filters the asbestos fibres.
• However, for non-friable asbestos removal, Class P2 respirators are needed.
• Meanwhile, all cases of asbestos removal require the use of disposable coveralls, impermeable gloves, gumboots, boot covers, and eye protection.
Occupational Exposure To Asbestos
According to the Australian Mesothelioma Register, specific occupations hold higher asbestos exposure risks. They include asbestos mining, sawing, drilling, sanding, and grinding jobs. More specifically, high-risk jobs cited are power plant workers, carpenters, railway workers, boiler workers, and naval workers.
Furthermore, other jobs like electricians, plumbers, metal workers, and telecommunication workers hold high risk. Also, workers in the construction, mining, and manufacturing industries need to take special care. In the past, virtually all vehicles and aircraft of coast guards depended on asbestos-containing products.
For instance, you could find boats, cars, planes, helicopters, and trucks of coast guards to contain asbestos. Moreover, the building materials of coast guard bases contained asbestos. As a result, those who served in the coast guard would have inhaled asbestos fibres regularly.
Other instances of occupational exposure to asbestos you should be wary of include the following:
• Work on the renovation of old buildings (likely constructed prior to 1990).
• Work on mobile equipment or plant (for pre-2003 models).
Tips On Identifying Asbestos Products
A cursory look may not be enough to identify asbestos-containing products like building materials or vehicle parts. However, when it comes to certain consumer products, you may be able to tell if it contains asbestos through their product label.
Ideally, you should call a licensed asbestos removalist for situations that require the removal of asbestos-containing materials. After all, they may know how to seal or encapsulate such materials more effectively.
However, if your jurisdiction permits homeowners to perform DIY removal of asbestos materials, keep the following tips in mind.
• Remember to turn off the air conditioning. Also, seal off the work area using plastic sheets.
• Wearing a respirator having a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is necessary.
• For asbestos abatement, you need to put on disposable coveralls and gloves.
• A pump sprayer can help you keep asbestos materials wet and suppress dust.
• When disposing of asbestos waste at landfills (that accept asbestos), it is proper to use clearly labelled bags.
When To Use A Licensed Asbestos Removalist?
After going through this post, you may already know what asbestos is and how asbestos is made. In addition, you were able to read up on asbestos types, families, examples, facts, history, dangers, health risks, and related diseases. This included a mesothelioma guide, a look at some health and safety laws, control measures, and tips on identifying asbestos, its handling, and management.
That is all for the better. After all, the first step to reducing the risk of asbestos exposure is being asbestos aware. However, removing even small amounts of asbestos-containing materials can be risky. Here are some situations where it is advisable to use a licensed asbestos company.
• Suppose you are not sure if a product or material contains asbestos. The company can confirm by sampling the material and getting it well tested.
• When you are sure you have asbestos, and you need it safely removed.
• You must leave the removal of friable asbestos materials to a Class A licensed asbestos removalist.
• When you need to assess a property before doing work on it. Quite significantly, properties built before 1990 may need this assessment.
Other functions an asbestos removal company can perform include the following:
• Conducting asbestos training. This can consist of a guide on the dangers of asbestos and how to manage the risk.
• An asbestos removal company not only removes asbestos but also disposes of them properly.
• This means they are usually equipped to carry out all forms of asbestos management.
Choosing The Right Professional For The Job
Knowing how asbestos is made and what it is made from can make you more aware of the risks of asbestos exposure. And considering that these risks can be significant, it is indeed worthwhile to know how to manage asbestos exposure. With that said, hiring the services of an expert asbestos removalist is definitely in your best interests.
David
