Asbestos Exposure: Risks, Symptoms, and Prevention
Asbestos Poisoning
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is the name given to a group of six fibrous minerals: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite.
Utility of Asbestos
Asbestos was used in building materials and vehicle brakes due to its heat and corrosion resistance.
Permissible Exposure Limit
Asbestos exposure should not exceed 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter (f/cc) of air averaged over an eight-hour shift.
Risks of Asbestos Exposure
Health risks depend on:
- The amount of airborne asbestos fibers
- Exposure time
- Route of absorption (inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact)
- Personal habits (e.g., smokers are at higher risk of developing lung cancer)
Products Containing Asbestos
Asbestos can be found in various products, including brake linings, textiles (fire safety equipment), thermal and acoustic insulation, packaging, and mixture additives.
Asbestos-Producing Countries
Major asbestos-producing countries include former Soviet Union nations, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Canada’s asbestos imports primarily originate from Canada, Brazil, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
Occupations with High Asbestos Exposure Risk
- Asbestos product manufacturing workers
- Mining and asbestos milling workers
- Construction workers (masons, insulation installers, metalworkers, electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, carpenters)
- Power plant workers
- Auto mechanics
- Boiler workers
- Shipyard workers
Symptoms of Asbestos Exposure
- Cough
- Fatigue, weakness
- Chest tightness
- Chest pain, disability, and death (in severe cases)
Asbestos Exposure Exams
Low asbestos levels can be measured in urine, feces, mucus, or lung secretions.
Diagnostic Tests
- Chest X-rays
- Pulmonary function tests
- Lung CT scans
Treatment for Asbestos Exposure
There is no cure for asbestosis. Stopping exposure to asbestos is crucial. Supportive treatment for symptoms includes respiratory treatments. Treatment for mesothelioma is also available.
Prognosis
The outcome depends on the duration and extent of exposure. Workers who develop malignant mesothelioma have a poor prognosis, with 75% dying within a year.
Prevention of Asbestos Exposure
- Workers should be informed and demand a safe environment, as supported by Ley 16.744.
- Employers must provide healthy work environments.
- International and national standards protect workers from asbestos exposure risks.
- Employers must provide training and special equipment for handling asbestos.
- Exposed workers should have regular checkups, and employers/mutual insurance companies must submit monthly occupational disease statistics to the NHS.
- Maximum allowable asbestos particle concentrations exist in workplaces, and employers must take preventative measures.