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No one wants to think about a workplace injury. Even just the thought sends shivers up most peoples’ spine, and with good reason. Families and lives can be destroyed by workplace carelessness or lack of training. When we hear about injuries in the workplace, there are a few things that come to mind: someone slipping and falling on an improperly cleaned floor, an unlicensed employee driving a forklift, or an employee working alone when they should be working under the buddy system. In other words, we think of someone making an obvious mistake that goes horribly wrong. This is why so many workplace injury prevention groups focus on education, learning protocol, speaking out, etc. However, not every workplace danger is so blatant or obvious. In fact, there are jobs where it seems as though everything has gone correctly, and everyone heads home with this satisfaction of a job well done… until they develop a cough or other health problems. The #1 workplace danger in Canada isn’t a falling box of products or a slippery floor – it’s the deadly toxin known as asbestos. Asbestos is in homes and businesses across the country, but not everyone is aware of where it can be found or how to handle it. This lack of knowledge is leading to many tragic health problems and even deaths. Luckily, there is a solution that protects both contractors and the general public: asbestos removal equipment. By bringing this onto the worksite, contractors can immediately respond to asbestos instead of being taken unawares. This is one occupational hazard that can sneak up on you, and so you have to keep your eyes peeled. Here’s how Canadians can fight back against the #1 workplace killer in Canada.
How Are Contractors and Canadians Exposed to Asbestos?
In order to understand how so many people are exposed to asbestos, we need to look at the history of the particle and how it became so widespread. During the early 19th century, the particle was discovered. Asbestos naturally occurs beneath the earth, and so mines were constructed to bring it out into the open. It wasn’t until the 1940’s and ‘50s that it became a “wonder material” that was used in the construction of homes, office buildings, apartments, and so on. Sometimes it seems easier to list the things that asbestos wasn’t used for, as it was added to nearly everything. Asbestos is an insulator, a fire retardant, a sound dampener, and more. As the decades marched on, it became obvious that asbestos was actually dangerous. Miners would come down with serious lung issues, their life expectancy cut short. By the time the true dangers of asbestos were revealed, it was already in millions of buildings across North America. While contractors are working hard to remove the risk by using tools like asbestos removal equipment, asbestos has a huge head start.
How Asbestos Strikes During Otherwise Routine Renovations
Now that we realize that asbestos is hidden underneath floorboards, within walls, and around pipes, you can see how contractors are exposed to it. However, asbestos is a fibrous material that is relatively safe as long as it is in one piece. The problem is when some sort of action causes it to crack and tear. Needless to say, a renovation job or contractor working on a building is more than enough to disturb and break asbestos. The fibre splinters, with invisible particles ending up in the air. From there, they are inhaled by the unaware contractor or citizen.
How Does Asbestos Kill?
Once the fibers have been dislodged and inhaled, they nestle within the lungs. From there, there are three main health problems that are a direct result of exposure to asbestos:
- Asbestosis – A scarring of the lungs that makes breathing painful and difficult
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma – A cancer that manifests in the lining of the chest and abdominal cavity
What is the Solution to Keep Workers Safe From Asbestos?
With all of the above information, its understandable that many people will be spooked – especially if they or someone they love is a contractor or works in construction. This is why asbestos removal equipment is so important! This needs to be combined with employees who are trained and aware of what asbestos looks like. This two pronged approach (training and equipment) can lead to employees staying safe and cutting down the danger of this occupational hazard. There are multiple ways to deal with asbestos that require different kinds of equipment: respiratory gear that stops employees from inhaling the particle, a HEPA vacuum to remove fibers from the air, or sealants to contain asbestos that is not yet disturbed or damaged. By having this asbestos removal equipment on hand even for “regular jobs”, contractors can stay safe and reduce their chances of health problems down the line. Needless to say, knowing that you’re prepared for any scenario also reduces the amount of stress and anxiety an employee deals with.
Many people think that the number one workplace killer is something blatant and imposing, like a forklift or fallen palette. Sadly, the truth is that the most dangerous part of the workplace is something small and subtle; in fact, it’s so small that you can’t see it with the human eye! Asbestos is extremely dangerous and even deadly, and it is time that we do something about it. Employees need to deal with training so they can recognize asbestos, as well as have the proper asbestos removal equipment to handle the situation. This ensures they won’t be exposed and unaware to the dangerous particle. Hopefully in the future, this workplace killer will be a distant concern.