Is It Safe To Remove Asbestos Floor Tiles?
Just what is asbestos and why does it cause so many problems? In homes it’s mainly found in houses built prior to 1978. It has excellent insulation qualities and is heat and chemical resistant. The downside of it is that it has very small fibers that if inhaled can cause diseases and cancer. Mesothelioma is a disease of the membrane which surrounds the lungs and abdominal cavities and is caused from inhaling or swallowing asbestos fibers. That’s why extreme caution must be taken before performing the task of asbestos tile removal.
Older floor tile that was made from vinyl contains asbestos and can be very dangerous to handle. The conditioning of the tile must be inspected to see what kind of shape it’s in. If it’s brittle and can be broken or crush from the pressure of your hand you have a problem. These are the types of tiles that can potentially release thier dangerous fibers when handled.
If you’re thinking about an asbestos tile removal job on your own just know that it’s not going to be an easy task and you should consider letting a professional handle the job for you. For starters it is imperative that you wear protective gear and protect your eyes and lungs with the proper breathing apparatus and glasses. Though this gear is mandatory for your own safety it does make the job harder if you don’t already have the proper experience in removing asbestos material. The removal of asbesots material is done in whole pieces to insure that the fibers stay intact as much as possible and with the limited vision and breathing that results from wearing the safety gear the job gets that much harder.
If you’re still thinking about tackling this dangerous job on your own check with your state licensing board to see if you’re permitted to do the job and what safety suggestions they can give you. You will find that most states only allow licensed contractors who have taken the required educational courses to do the job. When these guys come on the scene they will separate the area with the asbestos material from the rest of the house by putting up a protective plastic barrier. Then they will go to work insuring that any asbestos material that is loose or broken cannot release it’s particles into the atmosphere. That’s an extremely important process that insures you or your family want breath in asbestos fibers which has the potential of causing Mesothelioma.
Asbestos tile removal is a necessary but dangerous business. The professionals know how to handle this material and take no short cuts in handling it. Once the tile has been removed from your home it’s placed in special containers and marked clearly with a danger warning sign for all concerned to see but the job still isn’t completed at this stage. This harmful material has to be properly disposed of and can’t be dumped anywhere. It has to be transported to special EPA approved landfills and buried properly. There are several documents required in the process to make sure the dangerous asbestos is handled properly and isn’t released into the atmosphere.
As you can see asbestos tile removal is a serious business that shouldn’t be tackled by someone not trained in it’s safe removal process. If handled incorrectly it can cause harm to you as well as others in the form of lung disease, cancer and Mesothelioma. If your state doesn’t allow you to do it then don’t try it. Your state is only protecting you, your loved ones and your surrounding community.
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Floor Tiles With Asbestos & The Problems Associated With Them
Floor Tiles With Asbestos & The Problems Associated With Them
Floor tiles with asbestos should be a concern to everyone but especially if you live in an older home. By early I’m talking about early 80s on back. In these older homes there’s a good chance that the flooring installed may have contain asbestos. This type of flooring wasn’t a new discovery to that time period as asbestos had been in used for 100′s of years in various parts of the world. It’s actually a strong material that resist fire and a host of chemicals.
The expansion of using floor tiles with asbestos came about during the industrial revolution and at that time it was considered to be the best material for a host of building solutions for homes as well as commercial use. As workers in the manufacturing sector started to make products containing asbestos, different sicknesses effecting the lungs started to appear. Of course this sparked a big debate as to whether asbestos was causing the illnesses but by the 1980′s proof was firmly established of a link between asbestos and certain lung diseases including mesothelioma. It was finally established that floor tiles with asbestos and other products containing asbestos wasn’t a safe option to be used.
Responsible companies and builders immediately stopped using asbestos containing materials as a direct response to the studies they were made on the material which was great for all future applications of the building process. The problem is that floor tiles with asbestos as well as asbestos material in walls and ceilings were already placed in homes across America.
Before you panic let’s look at how floor tiles with asbestos can become harmful to you and your family. As stated earlier these tiles had stopped being used in the early 80′s. They were being installed starting in the 1950′s. Now that you know the time period you also need to know that tiles containing asbestos posed no harm as long as they are in good condition. The problem comes in when and if the tiles become broken or brittle.
Floor tiles with asbestos becomes a hazard when it’s handled incorrectly. This usually happens when it’s being replaced. The problem is when these tiles are brittle or broken they can release their tiny fibers into the atmosphere where they are easily inhaled into the lungs. Once in the lungs a host of problems can occur including mesothelioma and asbestosis. The first step to protecting your health is the find out if you indeed have floor tiles with asbestos in your home.
There are people who have unknowingly exposed themselves to asbestos by removing floor tiles with asbestos. They may not even be aware of what asbestos is least alone know that it maybe in their homes. This article is to inform you in the hopes that you will share what you’ve learned with others. If you have or know someone who has a home that was built prior to the early 80′s is imperative for that home to be tested for asbestos. If the home is found to contain asbestos a license professional should be called in to thoroughly check out the situation and recommend a course of action. Remember floor tiles with asbestos that are intact pose no threat to you but if it becomes brittle or broken you maybe exposing yourself to a host of breathing problems including mesothelioma cancer.
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Posted by asbestos - March 11, 2011 at 5:04 pm
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