Asbestos

1. Overview of Facts
   
   
   1. Asbestos is a natural mineral that comes from rock; over 3,000 products contain asbestos
      
      
   2. Mostly found in buildings built before 1974, but could be found in building built in the early 80's
      
      
   3. Odds of getting as asbestos related disease are a million to one
   
   
2. Characteristics of Asbestos
   
   
   1. Doesn't burn - used for fire protection
      
      
   2. Thermal insulator - used to encase pipes (keep cold things cold, and hot things hot)
      
      
   3. Sound insulator - used in ceiling tiles and plaster
      
      
   4. Strong and flexible - used for floor tiles
      
      
   5. Will not rot, mold or corrode
      
      
   6. Microscopic - fibers can't be seen with the naked eye
   
   
3. Dangers of Asbestos
   
   
   1. Only dangerous when friable (can be touched, crumbled by hand sending fibers into the air) - should be kept wet if cleaning up
      
      
   2. Could cause asbestosis (hardening of the lung) or lung cancer (health effects are
      
      
   3. Smokers are at greater risk of contracting an asbestos related disease than non-smokers
   
   
4. How Asbestos gets into you lungs (path taken)
   
   
   1. Must get past hairs in nose
      
      
   2. Past mucous lining the throat
      
      
   3. Past the cilia in the windpipe (which is affected by smoking)
      
      
   4. White blood cells not attack
      
      
   5. Fibers get lodges in air-sacs and air-sac hardens around fiber
   
   
5. When to contact your supervisor
   
   
   1. If you come in contact with Asbestos that is friable
      
      
   2. If you have questions/concerns that something may contain asbestos
      
      
   3. If you want to know where it is located in your building
      
      
   4. If you have been asked to strip a floor containing asbestos with a black buffing pad - buffing with a red pad is OK
   
   
6. Asbestos coordinators
   
   
   1. Frank Viscomi/Gary Shears - located in FM building in Engineering, 6720