Asbestos Survey

Asbestos Survey and Testing in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island

Asbestos is a broad term for a group of fibrous minerals that were used widely in the construction of buildings and in products. More specifically, according to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), asbestos was commonly used as materials, in such things as walls, floor tiles, pipes, automobile manufacturing, electrical components, cement, roofing, and more.

Unfortunately for many Americans, asbestos is also carcinogenic. Epidemiological studies have proven a definite correlation between asbestos inhalation and mesothelioma cancer, which is almost always fatal within a few short years. 

For this reason, it is no longer used in the vast majority of building materials or in construction work, because of the harm it can cause to workers and individuals who will later occupy the building. 

There are six different types of asbestos:

• Actinolite asbestos
• Amosite asbestos
• Anthophyllite asbestos
• Chrysotile asbestos
• Crocidolite asbestos
• Tremolite asbestos

Asbestos Can Be Dangerous

The reason asbestos was used so commonly was that asbestos is immune to corrosion, heat, and is extremely durable - essentially perfect for construction purposes. 

However, the reason that asbestos is no longer used in a majority of construction jobs and products is because of the harm it causes to individuals and workers. The tiny particles that make up asbestos are absorbed through the respiratory system creating various health problems and cancers.

Despite the dangers associated with Asbestos, many are shocked to learn that there has never been a ban on all asbestos in the United States. Others are unaware that asbestos issues often appear whenever building restoration or renovation work needs to be done. 

Even building contractors often don’t know that agencies at the state and federal levels require certified inspectors to assess asbestos-containing building materials prior to any restorations, renovations, or demolitions.