Asbestos is a generic term used for a number of fibrous minerals. It is a naturally occurring mineral mined for the resilient properties that it possesses. Asbestos is resistant to heat, chemicals, and is used as a binder in the manufacture of various products. Asbestos minerals are composed of parallel bundles of tiny fibers that may be broken down into smaller fibrils. These fibrils are our main concern with asbestos as they may remain airborne for several hours.

The Egyptians were one of the first to use asbestos; it has been found in the wraps used in the mummification process of their dead. The Greeks, from whom the term asbestos originated, also used the fibers to weave into cloth. It was an early parlor trick to take an asbestos table cloth and throw it into a fire to burn away the table scraps.

More recently, a 19th century Englishman by the name of Johns rediscovered its potential. At the time, sparks from burning coal would easily set thatched roofs on fire, so Johns created a fire resistant roofing material made with asbestos. Johns then teamed up with Manville to form the Johns-Manville company that helped to create the huge asbestos industry.

Since then asbestos has been used in over 3,000 different types of products. On campus, these products are used in flooring, roofing, acoustic ceilings, thermal insulation on pipes, fire proofing on building structural members, table tops in labs, fume hoods, flooring mastics, electrical wire insulation and various appliances just to name a few.

Asbestos is only harmful when it is inhaled or ingested. Most products containing asbestos are only harmful if disturbed by crushing or crumbling or some other means that allows the small fibers to become airborne. Once airborne, asbestos may be inhaled and lodge in the lungs where it cannot be broken down by the defense mechanisms of the body.

There are three major asbestos related diseases: asbestosis, mesothelioma, and pleural plaques. Asbestosis is a scaring of the alveoli walls in the lungs that prevents respiration through the scar tissue. The reason for the scarring is the macrophage that attack the asbestos fibers are not successful in breaking down the fiber. Having a short life, a macrophage will self destruct giving off a chemical that sends a signal for more macrophages to join in the effort. This chemical is what causes the scarring of the lung tissue. Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by asbestos in the pleural linings of the lungs and other organs. Mesothelioma is almost always fatal because it is difficult to treat the small pleural linings. Pleural plaques are a build-up of scar tissue on the pleural linings. As a person breathes the scar tissue rubs against the lungs, causing a great deal of pain for the individual.

Asbestos-related diseases are dependant upon a dose-related response. A person may or may not become affected depending upon how much they have been exposed to and for how long, and whether or not they smoke. The lungs have the ability to push 85% of particulates out by means of the fine hair-like cilia that line the wind pipe. Particulates may then be coughed up in phlegm. Tobacco smoke will paralyze the cilia for up to two hours denying the lungs their last line of defense. A smoker has ten times the chance of being stricken with an asbestos disease as a non-smoker with the same exposure to asbestos.

Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases do not occur soon after exposure. Those who are sick today because of asbestos may have been exposed 20 to 40 years ago. Controlling exposures now will prevent disease and suffering decades later.

The University of Idaho has a management program in place to ensure that staff, faculty, students and the general public are not exposed to airborne asbestos fibers. The Industrial Hygiene Specialist at the Environmental Health and Safety Office and the Asbestos Abatement Shop at Facilities Management work together to identify potential asbestos hazards and ensure that they do not become an exposure hazard. When it becomes necessary to remove asbestos, every precaution is taken to prevent asbestos contamination occurring outside of the work area. In all areas of asbestos abatement the federal regulations are met and usually far exceeded to promote the cleanest air standards possible at the University of Idaho in regards to asbestos.

Abatement is done inside enclosures to prevent the fibers from spreading.  Air handling units serving the affected area are turned off until the work is completed to keep the fibers from spreading to other areas.  Workers wear respirators and disposable coveralls to protect themselves while working.  To prevent any attached fibers from getting into the surrounding air, the coveralls are disposed of when the worker exits the enclosure.

When a job has been completed, clearance samples of the surrounding air are analyzed for the presence of asbestos.  Based upon the results, the area is either cleared or re-cleaned and re-sampled.  If the area is declared "clear," it is opened to normal occupancy and all warning signs are removed.

If you have what you consider may be an asbestos problem, consult the Administrative Procedures Manual.

APM: http://www.uihome.uidaho.edu/default.aspx?pid=84863

EPA: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/

OSHA: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/