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BACKGROUND
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber. It was extensively
used in many building materials from the 1930's until the 1970's
. It is resistant to heat, mechanical stress, and water. It has
the appearance as a white, tan, green, or blue-gray material. The
OSHA permissable exposure limit has dropped from a level of 10 fibers
per cubic centimeter of air (10 f/cm3) in the 1970's to a current
level of 0.1 f/cm3. Employees that are exposed for more than thirty
days above 0.1 f/cm3 per year are considered to be asbestos workers
and require medical exams (as well as other requirements). Asbestos
fibers are only a hazard when they become airborne and are inhalable.
Urban air, such as in Cambridge, would have asbestos fiber levels
somewhere around 0.001 f/cm3.
SIGNS
AND SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE
There are no immediate signs or symptoms of exposure to asbestos
fibers at even high occupational levels. It may take ten to forty
years for symptoms of disease to appear. Diseases associated with
asbestos exposure include asbestosis, lung cancer, pleural mesothelioma,
and gastrointestinal cancers. The disease of most concern with workers
is lung cancer (at exposure levels most typically found today).
There is a large increase in the occurrence of lung cancers when
a person is a smoker and is exposed to asbestos fibers.
POSSIBLE LOCATIONS
Building Components
Locations at the Institute where asbestos may be found include pipe
insulation (with all fittings included), floor tiles, ceiling tiles,
gasket materials, fire door fill, panels in cooling towers, and
boiler insulation. There may even be asbestos clothing, such as
asbestos gloves! Over three thousand products have been identified
as asbestos containing.
In Laboratories
Asbestos fibers have been found in many old laboratory materials.
Lab benches, insulation materials, gloves, oven components, catalyst
support media, electrical insulation, and hundreds of other asbestos
containing products may be found in the lab. Newer lab products
seldom contain asbestos, but asbestos materials, such as floor tiles
can still be purchased. Therefore all materials must be tested before
disturbance.
WORK PROCEDURES
There are no facilities workers that are authorized to work on
or with asbestos. Employees should not disturb asbestos containing
materials. All asbestos abatement at MIT is performed by outside
vendors. These vendors are licensed asbestos abatement contractors.
Asbestos signs and work areas are indications of on going abatement
activities. There is an asbestos warning sign at the entrance to
the abatement work area. Do not enter abatement areas when this
sign is posted. Every abatement activity at MIT is monitored by
the IHP.
WHEN AND WHO
TO CONTACT
If you have any questions regarding asbestos at the Institute,
call the Industrial Hygiene Program. Somebody from the Asbestos
Program will take samples and perform a hazard assessment. If a
building component contains asbestos and presents a hazard, Facilities
will be contacted and the hazard will be abated. If the material
in question is a laboratory item, the IHP will provide you with
the information you need to have it disposed of, as you would other
laboratory waste.
Industrial Hygiene Program
452-3477 Asbestos Program (IHP)
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