Guest blog entry by Krista Peterson
As initiatives increase to improve the standard of living and preservation in your local neighborhood or countryside, some dangers are presenting themselves as an obstacle during the rural development process. In the effort of remodels and rebuilding, outdated structures are sometimes excreting asbestos during the process. This is putting builders and workers at risk of developing health problems and diseases such as mesothelioma.
Asbestos is a term given to six mineral fibers that were often used for a number of commercial purposes until recent decades. It can be found in just about every country. The fibers were commonly placed in structures, buildings, houses, and ships. They were used as fireproof lining for walls, pipes, and ceilings, among other materials. As time went by, it was realized that exposure to these fibers can bring about major health problems and sometimes fatal diseases.
Where does that come into rural development? Rural areas are usually home to a number of older buildings, often in the process of remodeling or revitalization these days. Increasing population, tourism, and overall living is at the forefront of the mission to develop these areas. Remodeling, revitalizing, and filling out of date buildings, structures, and homes is a key factor in the process of rural development. Asbestos could be present in a number of buildings and properties that are intended to rent, sell, or be transferred. Removing the fiber safely from these structures is a matter of major importance.
Many rural development teams around both Canada and the United States are making a point in leading a proactive fight to get asbestos safely removed from certain structures. For example, American states Colorado and Delaware have rural development personnel working to investigate potential selling properties for asbestos. Asbestos is an immediate health hazard when it’s in a “friable” condition. This means it’s crumbly or broken and easily released into the atmosphere. If you are working on a rural development team that does on site work with houses and buildings, exposure to asbestos is something to be cautious about, especially in older structures.
As far as the health risk of asbestos, the most common types of diseases contracted from exposure are lung cancer and mesothelioma, both of which are debilitating to the lungs and chest. Mesothelioma symptoms will likely arise after a latency period or dormant period of up to fifty years. Following this time a patient may feel shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and fatigue. Lung cancer symptoms include a constant cough, coughing up blood, and chest pain. Being diagnosed and treated for these diseases is a matter of major importance for fast treatment. For example, mesothelioma life expectancy is usually only eight to 14 months following an original diagnosis.
As diversification and improvement of communities in Canada increases, this is just a common health risk to associate with the improvement of buildings, homes, and other structures in your local community. Along with the need for revitalization of certain structures, the need to preserve some older buildings and landmarks is important to the tourism for many areas. During the process of keeping these types of structures safe and useable, it’s important to be cautious about the looking out for asbestos.
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