New South Wales, Australia - In a country where the rate of asbestos-caused cancer is higher than anywhere else in the world, little is being done to be certain that the next few generations of Australians are not subject to the same hazards as their parents and grandparents.
A recent study of New South Wales Residents, with results reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, indicated that those who participate in do-it-yourself projects at their homes or businesses rarely take steps to protect themselves from exposure to asbestos.
“The study of almost 860 people who recently completed a do-it-yourself renovation found more than 61 per cent said they had been exposed to asbestos. More than one in five said their children had been exposed,” the study reports. Co-author Dr. Anthony Johnson said he was appalled by the findings.
“There is no safe level of exposure,” said Dr Johnson, a respiratory physician from the Liverpool area. “We don’t want to scare people, because the overall health risks are low, but we do see people who have mesothelioma and the only exposure they can recall is something like this.”
Noting that it takes an average of 42 years for mesothelioma to develop, Dr. Johnson fears that the disease is likely to be present in Australia for decades to come because of the careless attitude of those who encounter the material and believe it to be safe.
“Asbestos was removed from fibro around 1984,” he added. “But we are worried we are going to keep seeing cases for the next 40 years if people keep getting exposed. [Mesothelioma] is a horrible disease but it’s completely preventable.”
The study showed that exposure occurs most often when DIYers cut, drill, or sand asbestos-containing building products such as insulation, roofing, tiles, and other similar items. More than half of those surveyed said they never, or only sometimes, wore protective masks while performing this work.
Asbestos Diseases Research Institute director Nico van Zandwijk said the study was a warning to people who enjoy doing their own renovations or do so to save money.
“The fact that more than 60 per cent of people said they were exposed - and that’s just the people who could recall they were exposed - means that the level of awareness about the dangers of asbestos is insufficient,” he said. “People need to think before they cut.”
DIY enthusiasts in the U.S. might also encounter asbestos during their renovations, depending on the age of their home. Individuals should always schedule a pre-renovation inspection of their home if it was built prior to about 1980 and they suspect that asbestos products may have been used.
0 comments:
Post a Comment