Asbestos – Part 2

Most people think you only have to be cautious if you work in mining, shipbuilding and shipyard shipper/receiver, working on old cars, or renovating or demolishing old homes. But the truth is, if you are a carpenter, insulator, plumber, roofer or working in maintenance, you also need to know what you’re working with. Even if you don’t work in these categories but suspect asbestos could be a hazard, you need to bring attention to it. Even if you’re wrong… It’s better to be safe than sorry. If you are dealing with asbestos, you need to be trained to do so. There are 3 kinds of training… Awareness training, special operations, and abatement worker training. Make sure you have the correct training for the job. Proper signage must be placed to identify the hazard.  Protection must also be in place to protect the health of the public surrounding the hazard. You will need extra PPE, such as; hazmat suits, proper respirators and the correct gloves. You will need to be covered from head to toe. Leave your work clothes at work and shower before leaving work. Don’t even bring your clothes home to wash. Working with asbestos is something to take extremely seriously. Don’t do it if you’re not trained and/or don’t feel comfortable. This is something that if done incorrectly could and will probably kill you. So make sure you know what you’re working with and that you know how to correctly handle it.