Asbestos is a naturally occurring material with strong fibres that are extremely durable, fire-resistant, and insulating. However, if the fibres get airborne and are inhaled, it might harm one’s health.
By looking at building material, you can’t determine if it includes asbestos. A NATA-licenced laboratory can conduct a thorough investigation of a sample using specialised microscopic technologies to determine whether a substance contains asbestos.
Generally, if your home was built before 1990, asbestos materials are likely to be present. Knowledge of asbestos-containing construction items can assist in determining whether asbestos is present. Asbestos was employed in over 3000 items used, and it is believed that one in every three Australian homes contains asbestos.
What Happens If You Are Exposed?
Asbestos-related disorders have been linked to inhaling asbestos fibres, all of which can be lethal. Before they manifest, asbestos-related disorders might have a 40- to 50-year latency period. There are currently no treatments for these illnesses, including mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Can You Get Materials Tested?
Yes. The National Association of Testing Authorities will help you find laboratories that test construction materials for asbestos. You can get help from the laboratory or an asbestos specialist on properly taking and transmitting a sample. There will be costs associated with this. Another way to have materials tested is to contact a company that specialises in asbestos removal in Central Coast.
What Are the Chances of Developing a Serious Disease?
The chance of getting an asbestos-related ailment in any given person is determined by a variety of factors, including:
- An individual’s susceptibility
- The size and type of asbestos fibres
- The length and frequency of exposure to airborne asbestos fibres
- The concentration or amounts of asbestos in the air inhaled
- Other variables, such as cigarette smoke (Smoking has been proven to raise lung cancer incidence in those exposed to asbestos in studies.)
Understanding Asbestosis and Mesothelioma
A chronic lung illness can cause breathing problems and diseases, including lung cancer. Asbestosis is a common cause of interstitial fibrosis (scar tissue between the alveoli, spread over the lung).
Only confirmation of asbestos exposure or identifying extremely large amounts of asbestos fibres in the lungs is regarded as definitive proof of this condition, as it is difficult to distinguish from other causes of interstitial fibrosis.
On the other hand, mesothelioma is cancer in the outer lining of the lung or the lining of the abdominal cavity. With these kinds of cancer, asbestos exposure is not the only cause, although it is the most common one.
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