Yes, a mask is obvious. I get along well with the half masks from Sundström including the appropriate filter. Good fit at a reasonable price (I use the green mask) and it sits comfortably even after a day's work.jon_h said:I completely agree with you Mathias, when considering those who worked day in and day out in factories without any protection where asbestos dust hung in the air like a fog. It was mainly the smokers who had problems, and not everyone got it, even after many years of exposure. The asbestos hazard is very exaggerated. But I would have used a mask anyway, I use one even when handling insulation or sanding filler. I'm really cautious about my lungs..
using a mask all day is apparently also dangerous, something about water in the lungs or pulmonary edema or similar... The condensation in the mask was not healthy, so a cloth mask with a blue valve is apparently better...
But I have no concrete facts....
But I have no concrete facts....
I don't want to be a moralist regarding safety. It can be good to know how professionals handle dangerous material, what you might need to think about, such as decontamination, etc. Regardless of whether you do it on one occasion, it's foolish to take chances. What if you die from cancer caused by asbestos exposure (unsure of the spelling) and it's not due to old age ailments?
Neglected handling, and dust remains on the ground, and your children run there two days later.
You should probably think once or twice before.
Neglected handling, and dust remains on the ground, and your children run there two days later.
You should probably think once or twice before.
There is a good article here on byggahus about asbestos roofsjon_h said:I completely agree with you Mathias, when you look at those who worked without any protection day in and day out in factories where asbestos dust hung in the air like a fog. It was primarily the smokers who had problems, and not everyone got it, even after many years of exposure. The asbestos danger is very exaggerated. But I would have used a mask anyway, I use one even when handling insulation or sanding filler. I'm really careful with my lungs..
http://www.byggahus.se/bygga/eternit_byta_bevara.htm
We who worked with these products back then (60s-70s) knew nothing about the dangers associated with asbestos, and most have moved on in life without harm. Who would pay for all the protective equipment that is common today, gloves, helmets, ear protection, face masks, etc. When Eterniten in Lomma (a few km from my residence) stopped production, the entire machinery was sent to South Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) to continue manufacturing there. Other small factories also used asbestos in their products, including for window putty in greenhouses.
Sheet materials like the ones Peter_K shows were used in plumbing, for flange gaskets and for boiler heating plants, etc.
Sheet materials like the ones Peter_K shows were used in plumbing, for flange gaskets and for boiler heating plants, etc.
I assume a single cigarette is probably far more dangerous than brief exposure to asbestos.MathiasS said:
Think a few years ago when people would blow clean the brakes on trucks/buses and cars with compressed air... do you think they inhaled some asbestos dust?
They probably didn't die because they exposed themselves for a single workday but for many many years with the same task.
Mom was 13 years old and helped when they put up asbestos-cement on the house walls at their home. She's still feeling great
Although she doesn't smoke... hehe!Nah, I think it's a bit overhyped. But as I said, a good mask isn't a bad idea. You can throw away the gloves afterward too. That should be enough for occasional exposure.
/Henke
As far as I understand about asbestos, you don't need to inhale much. And it doesn't have to be prolonged handling either. The problem comes after many years when the asbestos has latched onto the lungs. And causes a hell of a trouble. There are always "tough" guys on construction sites who would rather do what the boss says than follow the rules.
Best regards, Putte
Best regards, Putte
MathiasS
It was actually a guy who told me this, he works as a property caretaker.
But maybe it's wrong??
By the way, there was asbestos in brake pads for quite a few years.
What is being held up in the picture is with 99.9% certainty asbestos.
I have worked as an asbestos remover, and I can say that you don't suffer lasting harm from removing asbestos from a fire door, demolishing an asbestos cement façade, or removing a single bathroom with asbestos adhesive. It becomes dangerous when you are regularly exposed to it. It's the tiny, tiny dust particles that you can't see which are dangerous; the dust you can see with the naked eye is large enough to get caught by the cilia in your throat. This is also why handling asbestos is much more dangerous if you are a smoker, as smokers have fewer cilia. It's also true, as someone mentioned, that its effects manifest first after 20-30 years.
Some people became completely terrified when they heard the word asbestos while working, some think it's radioactive and all kinds of other things. Asbestos is a natural stone material that has been used since ancient times because it is so resistant to heat.
However, you should of course always protect yourself against dust when working, whether it is asbestos dust, concrete dust, dust from insulation, etc., etc.
I have worked as an asbestos remover, and I can say that you don't suffer lasting harm from removing asbestos from a fire door, demolishing an asbestos cement façade, or removing a single bathroom with asbestos adhesive. It becomes dangerous when you are regularly exposed to it. It's the tiny, tiny dust particles that you can't see which are dangerous; the dust you can see with the naked eye is large enough to get caught by the cilia in your throat. This is also why handling asbestos is much more dangerous if you are a smoker, as smokers have fewer cilia. It's also true, as someone mentioned, that its effects manifest first after 20-30 years.
Some people became completely terrified when they heard the word asbestos while working, some think it's radioactive and all kinds of other things. Asbestos is a natural stone material that has been used since ancient times because it is so resistant to heat.
However, you should of course always protect yourself against dust when working, whether it is asbestos dust, concrete dust, dust from insulation, etc., etc.
It is asbestos. No doubt about it. The material is called Internit, not Eternit. It was primarily used for interior purposes and is green on the surface and semi-soft.
As long as it remains undisturbed, it's safe to keep it. (Not even asbestos roofs and facades pose a risk.) It's only when you start disturbing it that there's a risk of fiber spreading. And because they are short, they easily find their way into the airways.
The same risk exists, by the way, with mineral wool. It has shorter fibers than fiberglass wool and is therefore more heavily plasticized during manufacturing. The first generation of mineral wool is not like that. But so far, I haven't seen anything alarming about that material, even though it also finds its way into the airways during demolition work, for example.
As long as it remains undisturbed, it's safe to keep it. (Not even asbestos roofs and facades pose a risk.) It's only when you start disturbing it that there's a risk of fiber spreading. And because they are short, they easily find their way into the airways.
The same risk exists, by the way, with mineral wool. It has shorter fibers than fiberglass wool and is therefore more heavily plasticized during manufacturing. The first generation of mineral wool is not like that. But so far, I haven't seen anything alarming about that material, even though it also finds its way into the airways during demolition work, for example.
An article in Aftonbladet today, about a woman who inhaled fibers from her father's overalls... Sure, it might not be applicable to the question in the thread, perhaps, but still...
Aftonbladet: Pappas kramar blir Debbies död
Aftonbladet: Pappas kramar blir Debbies död