SECTION 1: ASBESTOS AWARENESS

1. WHAT IS ASBESTOS?
   
   Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is found in various locations on earth. The term asbestos actually applies to a number of different minerals that have similar chemical and physical properties. Some common names for asbestos minerals include Chrysotile, Amosite and Crocidolite. Asbestos characteristically breaks into fibers and has a variety of properties that have been used in industry. The fibers or filaments vary in color from white, gray, blue, brown, green or yellow and may appear fluffy.

2. WHERE IS ASBESTOS FOUND?

   Asbestos was used in approximately 3,000 products. Two-thirds of this total (2,000) was used in construction products. Appendix A includes a short list of products where asbestos may be found.

3. IS ASBESTOS CURRENTLY USED IN ANY NEW PRODUCTS?

   Probably not. As you can imagine there has been tremendous liability for any company that manufactured asbestos-containing materials. Manufacturers have found substitutes for asbestos, thus it is not likely that you would encounter new products that contain asbestos. Manufacturers started to phase out the use of asbestos in products during the mid-1970s to early-1980s.

4. WHAT IS A CARCINOGEN? IS ASBESTOS A CARCINOGEN?

   A carcinogen is a substance capable of causing cancer. Asbestos is a recognized carcinogen. If fact, asbestos is one of a few substances recognized as being a "true" human carcinogen.

5. HOW ABOUT DOSE-RESPONSE? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?

   Understanding the concept of dose-response is extremely important in the role of environmental contaminants. The term "dose" applies to a person's exposure to a substance. Dose is a measure of how much of a substance a person's body absorbs. In this case, the number of fibers that are in the air, and how much time is spent breathing these fibers. The term "response" refers to a health outcome from the dose and generally refers to disease.

   Many people are under the false impression that any exposure to an environmental contaminant can cause harm and should be avoided. However, it is impossible to live in a world without contaminants. We are exposed to pollutant, allergens, contaminants and toxic materials everyday in our lives in the water we drink, the food we eat and the substances we encounter. Generally these contaminants are found in extremely small quantities and do not pose a threat to our health. Even when we are exposed to higher levels there are mechanisms in the body for detoxification of the contaminants.

   It is only when we are exposed to high concentrations (dose) for long periods of time that health problems (response) become likely. The terms "high" and "long" vary for each particular substance in the environmental. If exposure can't be avoided, an employees' exposure to asbestos should be for a short duration and at very low levels. This will lower a their risk of disease.   

   Even a single exposure to high levels of asbestos most likely would not be a problem.

6. HOW CAN ASBESTOS HURT ME?

   Unless the asbestos is disturbed, it does not present a hazard. Generally it is necessary to inhale the asbestos fibers for a prolonged period of time before any damaged occurs.

7. WHAT CAN I DO TO PROTECT MYSELF AGAINST ASBESTOS?

   First and foremost it is important to recognize asbestos or the many products that may contain asbestos. Asbestos was often used for insulation purposes. It generally appears as small fibers that break lengthwise and generally not in half. If you encounter asbestos, or a material that you think contains asbestos, contact your supervisor. At the present time no UT employees are trained to remove or handle asbestos. Since asbestos is primarily a hazard to the lungs, avoid breathing it. If it is impossible to avoid, or if you feel safer, a respirator equipped with HEPA filters is acceptable. Another method of controlling exposure is to use good dust control procedures. Water is frequently used to control dust.

8. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS OF ASBESTOS EXPOSURE?

   There are several conditions that can result from prolonged exposure to asbestos. You may have heard of some of these terms before:

   1. Asbestosis - this condition is a scarring of the lungs caused by exposure to very high levels of asbestos for long periods of time (years). This condition has been diagnosed in asbestos miners and is unlikely in the generally population.
   2. Lung cancer - prolonged exposure to asbestos can result in lung cancer. This fact is especially true for smokers who are exposed to asbestos. Since there are several causes of lung cancer, it is often difficult to determine if the lung cancer was caused by asbestos.
   3. Mesothelioma - this is a cancer of the pleural lining of the lungs. Mesothelioma is one of the few diseases that is substance specific. In other words, it is rare to see a case of mesothelioma from sources other than asbestos.

   Related to these respiratory diseases are reduced lung function, difficulty breathing, dry cough, broadening or thickening of the ends of the fingers and a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membrane.

9. ARE THERE ANY ACUTE SYMPTOMS OF ASBESTOS EXPOSURE?

   Generally there are no short-term (acute) symptoms of asbestos exposure, until the exposure level is extremely high. Inhalation of extremely high levels of asbestos can result in shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain and irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.

10. HOW IS ASBESTOS MEASURED IN THE AIR?

    The number of asbestos fibers in the air can be measured by a process known as air sampling or, as it is sometimes called, air monitoring. Basically it is simple. Air is drawn through a small filter where the fibers are trapped. The volume of air sampled is calculated based on the flow rate of the pump and the how long the pump operates. After the sample is collected the filter is sent to a laboratory where the number of fibers are counted. Note that only fibers are counted. There are other airborne fibers, similar to asbestos, that can cause the sample to be artificially high. The laboratory reports the results as the number of fibers per volume of air. Generally the volume of air is expressed as cubic centimeters or cc. Thus, the results are expressed at fibers/cc.

    There are other lab procedures that can more precisely determine which fibers are asbestos.

11. WHAT STANDARDS ARE THERE REGARDING ASBESTOS?

    Several groups published standards dealing with asbestos. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently published a standard in August 1994. This new standard lowers the acceptable exposure level to 1/10 of a fibers per cubic centimeter of air. This figure is one-half the old standard. The standard has been progressively lowered in the past 25 years. In 1970 the standard was 2 fibers/cc. It dropped to 1 fiber/cc and later to .5 fibers in the 1970s. In 1983 the standard was lowered to .2 fibers and remained at that level until 1994.

    Other groups that regulate or publish standards include the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist (ACGIH) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

12. WHAT ABOUT THE LATENCY PERIOD ASSOCIATED WITH ASBESTOS? I HAVE HEARD THAT IT MAY TAKE YEARS BEFORE A PERSON ACTUALLY DEVELOPS LUNG CANCER. IS THIS TRUE?

    Yes, there is a delay between the exposure to asbestos and the time when the first symptoms of disease appear. The latency period can range from 10-40 years.

13. DOES EVERYONE EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS DEVELOP CANCER?

    No, in fact only a very small percentage of people exposed to asbestos will develop any health effect. This question falls under the area of risk assessment. By using risk assessment it has been calculated that if 1,000 asbestos workers were exposed to the current OSHA limit (.1 fibers/cubic centimeter) eight hours per day, 50 weeks per year for a lifetime, it would result in 4 of these 1,000 employees developing cancer. It is important to realize that no employee at the University would be exposed to these levels for a lifetime.

14. IS SMOKING A RISK FACTOR WHEN COMBINED WITH ASBESTOS?

    Yes. Let's face it, smoking is just plain bad for your health. Both smoking and asbestos are recognized carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). When the two are combined a person's risk of developing a lung disease increases greatly (more than doubles).