The Importance of Asbestos Testing

There is no doubt that asbestos testing in Calgary is important due to the dangers associated with exposure to asbestos. There is no doubt that asbestos testing is important due to the dangers associated with exposure to asbestos. Even so, there are bloggers and writers who will try to convince you that there is not any danger associated with asbestos exposure. This is flat out not true, no matter how you look at the data.

In theUnited Statesalone, more than ten thousand people die from mesothelioma, a disease caused by exposure to asbestos. Thousands more suffer from a number of non-fatal diseases due to asbestos.

The tragedy of mesothelioma is that it is a cancer that is almost always deadly, but many are not clear on exactly what it is. A membrane called mesothelium protects the body’s organs, such as the lungs and heart. Mesothelioma is the name of the disease that attacks this membrane.

The dangers of asbestos are all around us but are especially dangerous in some working environments. Tradesmen like electricians, ship builders, insulation workers, carpenters, and asbestos abatement teams may leave work sites with asbestos fibers on their clothing and unknowingly bring it home with them.

One problem with this disease is that symptoms may not appear for many years after exposure, so the connection between exposure to asbestos and the disease is not always made. But once mesothelioma is diagnosed, the afflicted person usually survives less than 2 years.

Despite the danger, asbestos is still widely used because of its insulating qualities. And worse yet is the fact that many people live 2640 feet from asbestos mines or facilities using asbestos. This is a problem because fibers easily become airborne and they are hazardous when inhaled.

Asbestos testing is the only way to test exposure as these fibers are almost invisible. It’s impossible to tell when asbestos is being used just by looking. Professionals collect samples and send them to an authorized facility for testing. But if you are concerned, there are do it yourself sample kits available. Be sure to follow instructions to safely perform the sampling yourself.

Since asbestos has such high insulating value, it was used everywhere for many years. The dangers were ignored until the late 1970’s. At that time the mineral was outlawed for use on construction sites and in other products. There are six different naturally occurring fibers which are referred to as asbestos.