Responding safely to asbestos in your building

 

The Belgian Asbestos Fund has announced that in 2015 it recognized a record number of 292 asbestos victims with pleura cancer. These people most likely contracted this condition decades ago. However, the chances of a person getting cancer from asbestos exposure are very low, provided the rules are followed.

In many buildings, there are still building materials or applications that contain asbestos. Therefore, there is a potential danger when altering or destroying a building or when materials that contain asbestos are removed. The risks are greater or lesser depending on the type of material and its condition.

Small fibers invisible to the naked eye can fly through the air when asbestos is damaged. When inhaled, they can cause serious illnesses such as cancer of the pleura or cancer of the lung. In practice, these workers are exposed for a long period to a high concentration of fibers, but in theory, exposure to a single fiber is sufficient. Generally, these diseases appear only 20 and 40 years after exposure to asbestos fibers. But as long as you follow the mandatory prevention measures, the risk of asbestos-related illnesses is very low.

Minimize potential exposure

Check if there is asbestos in your building. If applicable, draw up an inventory of the places where the asbestos is found and all the materials containing it. Then establish a management program for these asbestos-containing materials, including a risk assessment and necessary preventive measures. This will help you limit potential exposure as much as possible.

The management program must include the following:

·        What will be done with materials containing asbestos (leave as is, fix, encapsulate or eliminate);

·        Preventive measures intended to minimize exposure;

·        Regular assessment of the asbestos situation (at least once a year);

·        The steps you should take when the asbestos is in poor condition.

The prevention advisor assists you in drawing up an asbestos inventory and a management program that complies with the legislation. As soon as they are final, you inform all the workers so that they can take the necessary preventive measures.

In the event of work carried out by third parties in your building, you give a copy of the asbestos inventory to the contractor who carries out the transformations. Make sure that proof that he received it is given to you.

Leave some work to specialists.

Are you planning transformation or maintenance work? It is important to know that a series of materials containing asbestos can only be removed, demolished or treated by specialized firms like kac Solution.