10 Tips To Know About Asbestos Attorney
The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. Research shows that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
glendale asbestos lawyer is difficult to tell if something is asbestos-containing by looking at it and you are unable to taste or smell it. Asbestos can only be identified when the materials that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.
Chrysotile
At its height, chrysotile was responsible for 90% of the asbestos produced. It was used in many industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma first became a problem the use of asbestos has been drastically reduced. It is still present in many products we use in the present.
Chrysotile can be safely used in the event that a thorough safety and handling plan is put into place. It has been found that at the present exposure levels, there isn't an danger to the people who handle it. The inhalation of airborne particles has been linked with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been confirmed for both intensity (dose) and time span of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared between a facility which used largely Chrysotile in the production of friction materials and national death rates. It was found that, for 40 years of processing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure, there was no significant extra mortality in the factory.
As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can enter the lungs and enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues than fibres with longer lengths.
When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it's extremely difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose health risks. Fibre cement products are extensively used throughout the world particularly in structures like hospitals and schools.
Research has shown that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause illness than amphibole asbestos, such as crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile and cement are mixed together, a strong product is produced that is able to stand up to extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and disposed of.
Amosite
Asbestos refers to a set of silicate mineral fibrous that naturally occur in certain kinds of rock formations. It is comprised of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC 1973).
Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that vary in length from very fine to wide and straight to curled. They are found in nature in bundles, or as individual fibrils. Asbestos can also be found in a powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to create talcum powder or vermiculite. They are extensively used as consumer goods, including baby powder, cosmetics, and face powder.
The most extensive asbestos use occurred during the early two-thirds of the twentieth century, when it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-containing exposures to the workplace occurred in the air, but some workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied from industry to industry, era to, and geographical location.
Most asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were because of inhalation, but certain workers were exposed by skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is currently only found in the environment from natural weathering of mined ores and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes, clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
There is evidence to suggest that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't woven like the fibrils found in amphibole and serpentine but are instead loose and flexible, and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.
Asbestos gets into the environment primarily as airborne particles, but it can also leach into water and soil. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and human-caused (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in ground and surface water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However, it has also been caused anthropogenically, such as through milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the removal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Exposure to asbestos-containing airborne fibres remains the main cause of illness for people who are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most common way people are exposed to harmful fibres, which could be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to asbestos fibers can be triggered in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of exposure are heightened when crocidolite, the blue form of asbestos is involved. Crocidolite fibers are softer and less brittle and therefore easier to breathe. They can also get deeper into lung tissue. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other type of asbestos.
The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite and actinolite. The most popular forms of asbestos are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types aren't as prevalent, but could still be found in older structures. They are not as hazardous as amosite and chrysotile, however they can pose a risk when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, like talc or vermiculite.
Numerous studies have shown that there is a link between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However, the evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have reported an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent CI: 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.
IARC The IARC, which is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all forms of asbestos carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, however, the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure, what kind of asbestos is involved and how long exposure lasts. IARC has stated that the best option for individuals is to avoid all types of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness such as mesothelioma or any other respiratory illnesses, they should seek guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles are a grouping of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, but some have an orthorhombic shape. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are composed of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons, which are connected in rings of six. The tetrahedrons can be separated from one another by octahedral sites that are surrounded by strips.
Amphibole minerals are found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are usually dark-colored and hard. They are sometimes difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes due to their similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding cleavage pattern. However their chemistry permits a wide range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to determine their composition.
Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five types of asbestos amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most commonly used asbestos type is chrysotile. Each variety has its own unique characteristics. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite, is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lungs. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphibole minerals can be difficult to study because of their an intricate chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most widely used methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. These methods, for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio hastingsite. These techniques also don't distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.