Up until the late 1970s the federal government had done little to set guidelines for the use of asbestos ceiling tiles, and for decades this toxic product was installed in homes and businesses all over the country. The exposure via these tiles was not limited to just the construction workers that installed them, but the people that worked and lived around this product on a daily basis. The tiles were typically used in drop ceilings that were installed with a T-bar track system. This product was commonly used, as it was inexpensive and required little to no maintenance, unless broken or damaged by moisture.
Asbestos ceiling tiles were use in other common public buildings such as hospitals, public schools, churches, restaurants, and retail stores. During repairs to the tiles, not only were the maintenance workers at risk, but also anyone near the building could be exposed to the minute, but deadly particles floating through the air. When the tiles were cut to fit the openings in the false ceiling, the particles could easily float through the air and be vacuumed into the air intake of air conditioning systems. This would allow people in other areas of the building to be effected as well.
The potential health risk associated with working and living around asbestos ceiling tiles for years was unknown to the general public and therefore many individuals were unprotected during the installation and demolition of asbestos containing materials. In some cases when the cancer was diagnosed, some many years or decades had passed that it was not even attributed to being exposed to asbestos. Many times mesothelioma would be misdiagnosed as other forms of cancer and causes with out the patient even knowing the truth. Due to the latency of the cancer showing up in an individual, and doctors not knowing their patients complete history, checking for this type of cancer would be forgone until it was too late.
There is an ongoing debate as to whether or not asbestos ceiling tiles should be removed. Some experts argue to leave them installed as long as they don’t show any sign of damage or wear. Others suggest taking them off because of the invisible dust particles that may get released from the tiles and therefore put the inhabitants at risk of inhaling the toxic substance. It is certainly no mistake to consult with a licensed asbestos testing or asbestos abatement company, to have the property thoroughly evaluated. Once the test results are back from the lab, a decision can be made based on solid facts as opposed to speculations.
