Asbestos, Disaster to be

[i_am_fubar]

So, I'm sitting at work and I hear 'This plumber will DIE because of asbestos in the wall he's drilling into'

What are the real (to the best of human knowledge) threats to DIYers from the stuff?

From what I've read, its like MDF dust, a little doesn't do anything. and its continued exposure (such as being in the industry) that kills.

Comments?

Sam.

 

[joe-90]

It's only raw asbestos that's the real problem, the stuff they used to use to lag boilers on steam trains etc. They built houses out of asbestos sheets in Australia and they are still lived in.

 

[noseall]

skin cancer sees off the aussies before the assie can.

 

[Bahco]

A friend of mine died of asbestosis not so long ago.

It took them 3 weeks to cremate him!

 

[tim west]

I thought death by kangaroo was the number one killer?

 

[Mw Roofline]

How olds the plumber?

 

[NS215]

lots of radio adverts on a manchester station i listen to, and they claim more people die each year because of asbestos than die on the roads latest says 4 joiners a week although they done electrians before that but can't remember the number

 

[Trazor]

I thought death by kangaroo was the number one killer?

Once again you're jumping to conclusions.

 

[namsag]

Conversation we have had a number of times amongst ourselves about how we used to smash out asbestos with no masks or any protection with some of the older guys who used a circular saw to cut sheets of it up and working in a dust clouds.
Basically we accept at least some off us will die from it and its just your luck seemingly if your susceptible to it 1 fibre can start the process where as others can get away with it with greater exposure. But its too late to start worrying now.
My dad worked with it a lot in the 50s and 60`s and he has been diagnosed with asbestos plaques on his lungs but it does not affect him in anyways at present but time will tell.

 

[breezer]

i think a lot of the ads are made up BS, if you listen long enough they will make an ad with your trade. not heard how many brikies or landscape gardeners die / week yet.

i worked in a place where they made asbestos, so if anyones going to die around here, its going to be me. (no i am not joking) i was there for about 6 months when i was an aprentice

 

[namsag]

Look on the bright side the wife and her new boyfriend can live in the lap of luxury with the compensation.

 

[John506]

I think it's if you breathe it in just once, the particles will sit on your lungs, and they won't budge, then after 20 years or so it has scar'd all your lungs and it kills you.

Not sure if that is 100% correct but think it is.

 

[i_am_fubar]

Apparently it's in small concentrations in almost every building.

John, probably the more extreme answer I've heard, and maybe true if you fill a bag with loose fibers and take a huge huff. But any exposure = death, can't help but feel this is the scare campaign talking tough.

sam.

 

[tim west]

Once again you're jumping to conclusions.

I'll Skippy that last remark!

 

[WDIK]

Apparently it's in small concentrations in almost every building.

John, probably the more extreme answer I've heard, and maybe true if you fill a bag with loose fibers and take a huge huff. But any exposure = death, can't help but feel this is the scare campaign talking tough.

sam.

unfourtunately this is no scare campaign, pipe fitters are generally thought to have been most likely to have been exposed.

the problem is A its unlikely you were aware of being exposed, and B you only find out 20yrs later when symptom start to develope.

thats in industry but in the home it could be anywhere, I have a 70's house and the soffits are asbestos cement, now properly removed and replaced with upvc.

the sound deadening pad under a stainless sink, asbestos.
artex, was asbestos.

asbestos is a killer and its everywhere!