How Harmful can Asbestos be to Human Health?

Newcastle asbestos

The Australian government has certain guidelines, regulations, and policies in place to deal with different sources of asbestos and the effects of mining it. However, these have ignored naturally occurring asbestos sources for their potential for exposure. Considering instances of asbestos occurring in soils and rocks, this comes as a bit shocking.

History of Asbestos

Asbestos was first imported to Australia in 1903 from Poisy, France. 13 years later, Australia got its first asbestos factory, opened by Wunderlich Limited on the Parramatta river in Cabarita, NSW. And in early 1917, James Hardie started manufacturing products made of asbestos.

Reality

As per records, the rise of diseases caused by asbestos exposure had been documented with its impact on families from Victoria and Melbourne. And statistics matched these numbers to some of the world’s worst epidemic proportions. The number of deaths caused by asbestos exposure is higher than any other individual work-related death cause in Australia.

Over 2600 deaths were recorded in 2008 alone due to past asbestos inhalation. Since a major portion of the asbestos application was with the construction industry, some leading manufacturers have been known to play a key role in the rise of deaths caused by asbestos.

Unsafe work practices

Experts referred to the period as Australia’s greatest industrial disaster due to various unsafe practices at workplaces. Hundreds of workers, tourists, and visitors in Victoria and Melbourne got exposed to the blue asbestos lethal levels that were around a thousand times more than normal.

Since asbestos is highly dangerous, you should contact professionals for dealing with asbestos in Newcastle if you suspect its presence at your place.

Dangerous Moments due to Asbestos Exposure

in Newcastle, NSW asbestos removal

For asbestos to enter our body especially before accumulating on the surface of the lungs is through the mouth and nose. If it manages to enter the lungs, then it is considered to be a serious problem since it can cause diseases from mild to severe. Asbestos is capable of causing these 2 main diseases in many people.

  1. Lung Cancer – When it comes to lung cancer, smoking was known to be the main source of causing this disease. However, times have changed as there are many other sources of lung cancer where asbestos is one of the sources. This is a problem for individuals working in various industries related to construction, milling, manufacturing, insulation installation, etc. A few symptoms caused by asbestos include coughing of blood, breathing difficulty, chest pains, etc.
  2. Asbestosis – Respiration related diseases that is still non-cancerous yet dangerous is called asbestosis. Although it is considered non-cancerous, this disease causes pain to the lungs while breathing as it causes a crackling sound. The problem becomes worse as there is no medicine that can heal individuals suffering from this disease. Consulting a doctor is going to be your best option in order to get yourself treated.

At the end of the day, it is important to take it seriously if you feel you’ve been exposed to asbestos. Try to recall the time of duration in order to understand the level of asbestos that may have entered your body. If you see this material, asbestos removal in Newcastle, NSW from a professional is going to be crucial.

The First Thing to do After Being Exposed to Asbestos

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Asbestos is a material that should never be touched by our bare hands. There is a reason behind this and the reason is that is easy to get it crumbled which escapes toeing the atmosphere by even the slightest of touches. Now assume that you just saw the presence of asbestos in your home and by mistake the material gets crumbled, mixes with the atmosphere leading to you inhaling. Now, instead of panicking, the first thing you should do is take some time out and think about the exposure duration. Once you’ve done this, these are the things you should do immediately.

  1. Don’t Smoke – Smoking has always been one of the key reasons leading to lung cancer. The situation becomes worse once asbestos enters the lungs. So, if you are a regular or partial smoker, consider quitting completely for good.
  2. Go to a Doctor – Along with quitting smoking, it is also important to visit a doctor. Make sure the doctor tells you to get x-rays of the chest, lung function tests, and more. These tests may not exactly reveal the presence of asbestos however, it helps in the detection of lung cancer.
  3. A Single Visit isn’t Enough – A single visit to the doctor isn’t going to be sufficient enough in terms of getting rid of asbestos. Make sure you are in constant touch with the doctor either going physically or over the phone if there are symptoms such as chest pains, difficulty in breathing and swallowing, etc. 

With these tips you should also focus on hiring a professional company that deals with asbestos removal in Newcastle, NSW and other parts of Australia.