What is Asbestos? Essay -- Environment, Minerals

INTRODUCTIONAsbestos has been mappingd since prehistoric times and there is archeologic evidence from Finland, pottery containing asbestos fibres dating from 2500 BC (Mcculloch, 1986). Where asbestos fibres were mixed with clay to stress stronger ceramic utensils and pots (Benarde, 1990), the ancient Greeks used it to collapse lamp wicks and other fireproof items. However, the romans wove asbestos fibres into fabrics to make towels, nets and even head coverings for women (Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia, 1995, p.10). The substance was known to be inextinguishable or unquenchable. Though, asbestos had been around for potassiums of years, mass use of the product became popular in the 1800s (Mcculloch, 1986). It was made up of non-flammable fibres and was very sturdy. Also, it was used in homes, businesses, and schools. Asbestos is a life-threatening fibre, because its fibres become airborne and rouse be inhaled or swallowed (Lu & Kacew, 2009). Over time, it can cause both chronic lung conditions and fatal forms of asbestos cancer. (Benarde, 1990 Mcculloch, 1986).In the early 1900s to mid-eighties doctors in Europe discovered that workers were suffering from the respiratory unhealthinesss (Benarde, 1990), for the reason that they worked in heavily polluted asbestos containing atmospheres, excessive numbers of them became cases of asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, because the workers were exposed forthwith or indirectly in virtually any occupation, even those who worked in offices (Benarde, 1990 Mcculloch, 1986). Furthermore, employees who worked for asbestos ship building, construction, mining, and other factories whose products used asbestos were similarly getting ill (Mcculloch, 1986), asbestos fibres were also being brought home on employees cl... ...ially in asbestos mining. A lot of the victims of the disease had worked directly with asbestos nevertheless, these people got their exposures in the shipyard, construction trades, and b uildings as well as from the contamination of their homes and communities. As a result it occurred that nearly the uncontrolled use of asbestos progressively increased the population at risk from few thousand asbestos workers to millions of people in the general population.The employers and employees who worked in the asbestos reduction industry move to alert on the handling of the human carcinogen. However, the rules and regulations were put in transport to ensure safety and protection of the workers. Sufficiency protective equipment and training were provided, health check surveillance programs by conducting routine examination of all the workers who worked with asbestos.