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ASBESTOS INSPECTIONS AUSTRALIA |
What is Asbestos |
Asbestos is the collective term
given to a group of naturally occurring fibrous
varieties of silicate minerals. Asbestos occurs within two groups of minerals: the serpentine minerals
and the amphibole minerals.
Although there are about a dozen asbestos minerals,
only three were in widespread use in Australia. These were:
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Asbestos Properties | ||||
Asbestos was used for its thermal stability and resistance,
chemical resistance, high tensile strength, abrasion
resistance, low electrical and thermal conductivity, low
biodegradability and good sound absorption qualities. The presence of asbestos in commercial products varies depending upon the product's uses. While all forms of asbestos are fibrous silicates, they differ in their chemical composition and properties, crystalline structure and fibre dimensions and as such their commercially useful properties also vary. All asbestos types are excellent thermal insulators and have been widely used as fire proofing (on steel structural beams and soffits) and insulation materials (on boilers, ovens, kilns, steam pipes and hot water pipes). The amphibole group has considerable resistance to chemical corrosion and have been used in environments which are prone to attack by acids. Both chrysotile and crocidolite have high tensile strength, and have been widely used in the manufacture of woven asbestos products. All the asbestos types show low electrical and thermal conductivity, low biodegradability and good sound absorption properties. |
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Health Risks | ||||
Inhalation of asbestos fibre may lead to the following asbestos related diseases: Mesothelioma: cancer of the pleura (lining of the lung cavity) or peritoneum (lining of the abdominal cavity). Asbestosis: scarring of the lung tissue. Lung Cancer: a cancer similar to that associated with tobacco smoking. Other cancers that have been identified in heavily exposed asbestos workers include cancer of the larynx, oesophagus, stomach, bowel, rectum and kidneys . Asbestos related diseases do not appear for a long time following exposure to asbestos. The term "latency period" is used to describe the period of time which passes between being exposed to airborne asbestos fibre and the disease being diagnosed. Depending upon the asbestos type and magnitude of exposure, the latency period generally ranges from between 10 and 40 years. |
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For more information phone 9369 2787 Inspections All Areas |
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