asbestos

used to cut the stuff with angle grinder,would have so much of the stuff over us that we had to wipe it away from our mouths and eyes to talk and see.you would look like you had been in the snow,pure white.we were doing penetrations 600x700 through asbestos roofing for air cond some jobs i can recall are meatworks,ice cream factory,schools ,hatcherys,hospitals ,canteens ,aircraft hangars,heater boxes in ductwork in shopping centres,doctors,banks. all done while people went about their normal routine. for some reason i was never effected ,this was 30 years ago must be lucky,wonder about the others.bob

wow thats pretty lucky mate! allthough is it true that the disease doesnt kick in until your old? hmm i wonder if any of your work mates got infected and how they were affected? it would be interesting to find out! has aspestos been completely banned?

i,m 56 now ,how old is old.bob

im not sur ehow old he is! well i spose its been 30 yers you should be out of the woods by now! how come they make such big deals over it if you worked with it like that and didnt even get affected

Gags and Bob,
it's dangerous stuff. I don't think that there's any doubt about the link between asbestos and some pretty nasty diseases; Asbestosis and Mesothelioma are the main ones. Both are debilitating and mesothelioma is generally fatal.
See the links below or look them both up on Wikipedia.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/f...s/mesothelioma
and
http://www.lungnet.com.au/fact_sheet...ed-health.html


I think safety and health professionals make a big deal about exposure to asbestos because there is no dose - effect relationship known. People can be exposed to asbestos for a long time and nothing really seems to happen. Others, may only be exposed to asbestos for a short time and it ends up killing them.

Personally, I have no desire to find out which group I'm in so I treat it with respect if I have to handle it.

Cheers,
Peter

I watched my FIL die of mesothelioma. Its not a very pleasant way to go. He was a chippy and built everything at a foundry for years. The thought at the time he died was that any exposure puts you at long term risk and that it may take many years for the effects to show up. Essentially the fibres cant be dissolved in the body and continue to irritate the lungs.

From my understanding no exposure is safe, but nor is lead exposure, more than two drinks in a sitting, watching the news, etc, etc

Im 63 now and i used to love the smell of it when we cut it up, they say that the you can get cancer from it no matter how long it is since you last used it.The sheets of asbestose cement are the most inert form because the fibres are locked into the cement base.It can still kill you so be carefull.

hey guys
tha for ll the responses! we have pretty much finished up with the asbestos now just go to make the holes int he wall were the new shower will go in! but the were gona put cement sheeting over that and then tiles since it in the shower and all! we used dust masks and once we finished doing wehat we needed with it we left the room for bout an hour or so for the dust to settle! thanks a bunch guys
jack

There is no safe level of exposure to the stuff, and the latency period is around 25 years (ie. the average period of time that elapses before those who get A. related disease show signs or symptoms.) So that means it might have been 35 years ago (as in my case) and you're still not out of the woods for sure.

Not everyone who was exposed will contract ARD but the association is nonetheless clear.

In Melb. there is an asbestos disposal tip in the North I believe, and they will accept the stuff provided it is wrapped in heavy plastic and taped up.

Doing a bathroom reno and the walls are FAC.
I need to reinforce the area behind the wall mounted basin with some timber to hang the basin. This means that a section of the wall - not so big (maybe50cm by 50cm needs to come out - cut out. Any suggestions ?
There are references to cutting the material using the old score and snap method, I'm wondering if this will work - naturally need breathing mask and gloves and keeping area nice and wet. I believe shaving cream does a good job:?.
Is an old fashioned score and snap the same as a utility blade cutter ?

I'd also be happy enought to take off a largersection but it is all joined together and I can see where the joins are.