==== ==== ¿Qué es una catástrofe natural? Las catástrofes naturales son la consecuencia de un fenómeno natural, extremo o no, cuando produce daños materiales o económicos de una dimensión tal que afectan a la vida normal de una población. Acerca de las catástrofes naturales, terremotos, huracanes, tsunamis: http://www.ingeniero-de-caminos.com/2011/07/catastrofes-naturales.html ==== ====
You would think that asbestos exposure would be a thing of the past today with the ban on products that contain asbestos. The major problem with all the bans in place is they do nothing about all the contamination that remains in buildings from prior to the ban. Old buildings pose a threat to all of us that reside close to them during a natural disaster. Natural disasters that cause the earth to shake and make buildings fall and old pipes to break in most all cases contain contaminating asbestos that is released into the environment. The dangers of asbestos contamination were known going back to the days of the Roman Empire. The workers of the mines would become sick with debilitating diseases. The really sad part is that modern doctors did not link the substance to disease until the 50s. Today in 2011 still many do not even connect mesothelioma and asbestos. The numbers of diseases that make the connection are many more than the kinds of cancers related to the lungs. You can pick someone off the street and ask if they know the dangers of asbestos exposure and as many as 80% will say they do not know. Asbestos awareness should be taught in the schools as a required subject. Asbestos awareness training should be a requirement for employers that have employees that can be contaminated. In many industries it is a requirement but not all. You can find many references written about asbestos that say it is not dangerous. Some say it is only dangerous if it breaks down and the microscopic particles get released into the air and we breathe them. Many times asbestos products have protective coatings that are said to seal up the dangerous fibers. The walls of some cruise ships use asbestos because it is fire-proof to stop fire from spreading through-out the ship. But it has a protective coating to seal in the dangerous fibers from entering the environment. The problem with all the safety precautions put in place is they do not take into account a natural disaster that breaks down the material and allows the particles to escape. A disaster of almost any kind can cause asbestos exposure to may unsuspecting individuals. What makes the fibers so dangerous besides being a carcinogen is once they get lodged in the body tissues. It is impossible to get them out and also for the body to break them down. The particles become irritated over time and many times cause many different types of disease and cancers. Asbestos is naturally occurring substance and is found all over the globe and is a member of the
silicate family of minerals. It is a highly useful material because of it insulating properties. It is fireproof flexible and is a cheap strong material. Over the years it has been used in many building materials, fire-proof gear for fireman, flooring, siding, roofing materials and many places where insulation is required. Age does cause the material to break down and when this occurs the fibers can become airborne and can be inhaled. They call this friable meaning the fibers can escape into the environment. Non-friable means the fibers are sealed and cannot be released into the water or air supply and pose a danger to anyone. This may be true but when a natural disaster strikes and the seal is broken or damaged, contamination can take place and cause a serious health risk.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Nettles
==== ==== ¿Qué es una catástrofe natural? Las catástrofes naturales son la consecuencia de un fenómeno natural, extremo o no, cuando produce daños materiales o económicos de una dimensión tal que afectan a la vida normal de una población. Acerca de las catástrofes naturales, terremotos, huracanes, tsunamis: http://www.ingeniero-de-caminos.com/2011/07/catastrofes-naturales.html ==== ====