Asbestos awareness training is a requirement for workers whose job activities may require to get in contact with ACM (asbestos containing material) or PACM (presumed asbestos contain material), however, do not intentionally disturb the material. Okay, that's the theory. But how does a regular asbestos awareness training outline look? Generally speaking the training is supposed to cover anything related to asbestos, including its uses and forms. Further to that, information on possible health risks associated with asbestos exposure is another requirement. More specifically, a well designed asbestos awareness training course should include information on: ACM/PCM that are used to insulate or surface thermal systems, asbestos flooring or any kind of flooring where the absence of the material is yet to be certified. Additionally, any relevant instructions pertaining to the recognition of damages, delamination and deterioration of asbestos containing materials.

Asbestos and its various forms and uses

Asbestos, is a natural occurrence and in its raw state, fluffy and fibrous. Its use goes back to the late 1800s, where it was produced as insulation for steam pipe covering. In the following century, the construction and building industry used the material for asbestos cement products, asbestos roofing and floor tiling as well as for all kinds of insulations.
Further to that, the material was also used for fireproofing purposes, e.g. fire resistant curtains and in the automotive industry (brakes and clutch linings). Asbestos is not visible. Its presence must be tested and confirmed in a laboratory using PLM (Polarized Light Microscopy) or other, more sophisticated methods involving electron microscopes.

What are the health effects associated with exposure to asbestos?
 
Our respiratory system lets us inhale air via the nose and the mouth. The nose hairs filter out larger particles. If the air is contaminated by asbestos, we are at risk of inviting the toxic particles into our respiratory system. There are two kinds of asbestos contamination; it is either a visible dust cloud, or invisible airborne fibers. The latter one poses obviously the larger threat.  In order to consider asbestos a hazard it must be airborne.

How can asbestos affect the lungs?

Asbestos is friable, which means it breaks up easily into microscopically tiny fibers.
When those needle-shaped and indestructible fibers get into the lungs, they lodge themselves between the healthy cells located by the lung walls. The toxic asbestos fibers disturb the internal cellular processes which results in uncontrollable cell dividing and growth. This is the origination of cancer.

The degree of risk associated with asbestos exposure depends on a variety of factors, including first and foremost the intensity and duration of the exposure. Other aspects are the individual susceptibility, the size of the asbestos fibers (the shorter and finer they are, the more harm they can cause) as well as the presence of other pollutants.
Asbestos is a rather unusual toxin. It is acting slowly and is known for a latency period for up to 40 years or even more. The latency period is the time between the initial exposure to the material and the first related symptoms exhibited by the asbestos victim.

Asbestos Induced Diseases

Asbestosis is not cancerous. It is the presence of scar tissue in the lungs that impairs the ability to breathe normally, as it reduces the surface area of the organ. As a result the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen exchange is being decreased which leads to a condition similar to asthma. In addition to that, since the amount of oxygen is being reduced, the heart may suffer and might even fail at a progressed stage. Asbestosis is usually detected and diagnosed via a chest x-ray. 

Another asbestos related disease is lung cancer, which is the uncontrollable growth of lung tissue. On average, individuals who get into regular contact with asbestos are at a 5 times higher risk of contracting lung cancer than persons who do not work with the material. Further to that, smokers increase their risk of developing lung cancer by about 90 times.

Mesothelioma is the most commonly known disease that is being associated with asbestos exposure. It is a rare cancer that affects the lining of internal organs, such as the lungs, heart and also the abdominal cavities. Gastrointestinal cancer is a disease of the digestive tract. It is still being debated if asbestos is a potential cause of this form of cancer.

What about asbestos exposure and kidney cancer?

Well, I got diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in October of 2009. After my left kidney was removed via a laparoscopic robotic nephrectomy and the pathology was done, it was determined that the cancer might have started over 20 years ago. That would indeed fall into a period of time where I was exposed to asbestos on a regular basis. 

Asbestos can be a potential hazard for production workers, maintenance workers,
demolition workers, family and friends of people who work with asbestos.

Recognition and typical locations of possible asbestos containing materials 

Asbestos has been used in a broad spectrum of products, including building and household materials such as appliances, asbestos ceilings, asbestos wall and pipe coverings, asbestos floor tiles and asbestos roofing shingles. And there are some good reasons why asbestos was so popular for a long period of time. First of all, it was used in order to strengthen the product material. Secondly, because of its thermal stability it was a predestinated insulator. Thirdly, it was widely used for thermal and acoustical insulation or even decoration purposes. Lastly, it was an optimal fire protection. The amount of asbestos in the products could vary vastly, from anywhere between 1% up to 100%. The exact amount of asbestos is hard to determine just by looking at the manufacturer labels and is practically impossible to identify by visual examination. Only a specialized laboratory can conduct a reliable analysis of the suspect material.

Contact your State’s Department of Health if you want to learn more about asbestos awareness training. Or alternatively, reach out to a licensed asbestos testing company and ask for guidance.