When work is done with products containing asbestos, asbestos fibres are released from the material and can enter people's bodies.

• Asbestos fibres can float in the air as dust for days and can enter the body through inhaled air.

• Some fibres are small and thin enough to spread all the way down to the alveoli.

• Asbestos is very resistant to the immune system's attempts to destroy it, and once asbestos has entered the body it is not destroyed.

• Asbestos has been identified as a carcinogenic substance

Employers have staff who work with asbestos and must have an assessment made of the health of all workers before granting an exemption.

This assessment shall include:

• Special thoracic examination.

• New assessments must be available at least every three years while workers are working with asbestos.

• Individual health records shall be kept in accordance with .

Houses built in 1950-1980 are most likely to have asbestos in their building materials. Industrial and labourers who work in the maintenance and demolition of old buildings are therefore increasingly involved in asbestos in their work. This is in many ways unfortunate because at the same time asbestos works are increasing, the number of people who worked on putting asbestos in the houses was initially reduced, and therefore knowledge of the properties and scope of asbestos has been lost.

Where do asbestos be found?

Asbestos and products containing asbestos were used as fire retardants, indoor heating, sound insulation and other items in many buildings that were built before 1980. It is believed that around 1970 there were about three thousand different types of products containing some asbestos as an additional substance due to its heat-resistance, insulation and adhesion properties.

Construction products:

• asbestos cement

• insulation/laying

• pipe insulation/ducts

• Fire retardants

• asbestos-cement pipes

• panels

• spartan

• roofing sheets

• chit, et al.

Wrapping products:

• fire-resistant clothing

• fire mats

• curtains etc.

Car products:

• brake linings

• anti-corrosive

• link CDs

• seals

Plastic products:

• reinforcers in plastics, floor tiles and fabrics

• fillers in various rubber products

Food and pharmaceutical products:

• filters for microorganisms

Shipbuilding products:

• flame-resistant insulating materials

• insulation of engine spaces

This can be difficult and in many cases impossible to detect if a building material or machinery object contains asbestos.

It is usually impossible to ascertain with full confidence whether the substance contains asbestos or not. In such cases, you can:

• Check the history of the building, talk to the previous owners or someone involved in the construction of the building.

• Check to see if there is any data on whether asbestos has been used as building materials or is found in any part of the building.

• To sample the suspected asbestos-containing building material, carefully break a piece of suspected asbestos into a plastic bag and close it tightly. The sample is then analyzed by a recognised asbestos analyst who can diagnose it using microscopy. This is neither time consuming (1-3 days) nor an expensive process.

If it turns out that the sample contains asbestos, you must apply for an exemption for the work, but if no asbestos is found, you can continue as if nothing happened.

There are many different types of fibre, both natural and man-made, which have asbestos-like properties and can therefore be replaced by a certain proportion. Numerous studies are being conducted to assess the hazards that may arise from these fibres.

In the field of microelectronics, man has developed various types of graphite and coal fibres, which are anthropogenic inorganic fibre filaments often mixed with metals. Certain strands with a similar shape to asbestos can lead to cancers like asbestos, and therefore developments in this field are being particularly monitored.

There are many types of glass and mineral wool fibres, and these materials are mainly used in sound and thermal insulation. Some general discomfort can arise from working with such materials, but chronic health damage is not described in the literature.

Only those who have the knowledge and rights to the task may remove asbestos from buildings or other places.

FDA holds regular asbestos - dismantling and cleaning services .

When asbestos has to be removed, the form and type of asbestos in which it is removed varies. When Asbestos is to be removed, work must be planned with the aim of minimising pollution and work procedures in accordance with the provisions.

• Asbestos demolition workers should wear personal protective equipment, including duck masks

• The places where asbestos is being demolished must be clearly marked.

• Once asbestos has been taken down, dust arising from asbestos and waste containing asbestos shall be placed and stored in sealed, labelled, closed containers and shall be transported for disposal.

• The asbestos must be disposed of in consultation with the municipal health inspectorate.

• Asbestos is to be stored in closed containers; often landfill services in the municipality in question provide special closed containers for the asbestos.

• It is important that the landfill service knows that asbestos is involved, since it is buried in special marked places.

Inhalation of asbestos-contaminated air carries the risk of pathological changes in the lungs. These rules are set .

• Although pollution levels are below those in the asbestos workplace, protective equipment must always be worn.

• Whereas minimum safe levels for asbestos contamination cannot be defined and therefore all pollution by asbestos should be prevented;