Queensland Laboratory News Details
National Asbestos Awareness Week: 19th - 25th November 2008
Added: 24 November, 2008
National Asbestos Awareness week is celebrated within Australia to commemorate those lives and families that have been affected by asbestos, and also to raise awareness about the dangers and effects of asbestos. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that is mined out of the ground like coal. When broken down, asbestos breaks apart in fibres of a ratio of 3:1 length by width rather than into granules like sand. These fibres are heat resistant and also acid resistant, and as a result, asbestos has been widrly used within building products. Building products that contain asbestos are not confined to the typical fibro sheeting and corrugated roof sheets, it is also present in hundreds of other products including lino, vinyl floor tiles, mastics, expansion joints, insulation material and many more.
Asbestos is now widely known as a carcinogen as it has the ability to cause cancer. Mesothelioma is a the most severe respiratory disease caused by asbestos among others including asbestosis and pleural cancer etc. Mesothelioma was 1st recorded in 1945. In 1969, the government in conjunction with occupational health and safety organisations placed a national exposure level on asbestos of 4 fibres per cubic centimeter of air. In 1972 this was reduced to 2 fibres per cubic centimeter of air. At present, the National Exposure Standard (NES) is 0.1 fibres/ml.
In order to avoid asbestos related diseases, asbestos containing materials should be kept in good condition (i.e. painted and structurally sound) and should be maintained in good condition until it is feasible to remove the material. At no time should asbestos containing materials be cut, sawn, sanded, or worked on with power tools. If you have asbestos and need to work with the material, contact a licensed asbestos removalist or consultant and seek advice on the correct process for removal or refer to the National Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos [NOHSC 2002: 2005].
Some useful links are:
Australian Council of Trade Unions
http://www.actu.asn.au/public/news/1100848776_7816.html
OHS Reps @ Work
http://www.ohsrep.org.au/news-views/features/asbestos-awareness-week-2007/index.cfm
NSW Parliment
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20001124011