So I am a huge hypochondriac and am now so afraid of mesothelioma. Please tell me if I am at a high risk based on my experiences:


I once helped to bag up old cut up roofing felt and tar paper. The whole roof was installed between 1992 and 1994. I removed it about a year ago. Was there blue asbestos in these materials or was it chrystolite. What are the chances of the material having asbestos in 1992? Also if there was asbestos would doing this job for a week with no mask be risky?


Second experience was I was working in a pizzeria where there was an old brick oven. Some bricks fell in the oven and needed to be repaired. I was working in the restaurant while repairs were being done, it was only for 6 hours, I also did not spend much time in the room where the repairs were being done. I heard old firebrick could have asbestos, how risky was this exposure?


Finally I live in a first floor studio. The store in my building is doing renovations. They received a permit to do renovations. The whole store was gut renovated in 2000, and they are renovating it again in 2012. They are ripping out tiles, did tiles have asbestos in 2000, would I be exposed living next door?


Also my dad owns buildings and I have spent time in basements, not doing contraction just being in them? Also if work is being done in my basement and there is asbestos could it come up through my floor and pose harm to me?


I know I sound crazy but I am really freaking out could someone please help me. I keep trying to think of when i could have been exposed and it freaks me out because I am always thinking of a new scenario.


Also I was once in a basement where the boiler was smoking? The smoke wouldn't pull asbestos in the air right, also the boiler was made after 2000.


Thanks

 

Yes, well... some problems are real and others are imagined. Looking down your list, I think most of your fears seem to be imagined. Asbestos use in construction materials has been regulated by the EPA for quite some time. However the only way you can know for sure is to have regular checkups every few years.

Generally, you do not contract mesothelioma from a few "possible" contacts with asbestos fibers, or from just being in a building that contains asbestos. It is generally those who were in constant exposure as part of their work environment. I actually have a close friend who is near death right now because he was a painter and no doubt scraped many asbestos containing textured ceilings, sprayed textured paints containing asbestos, or had other construction related contact with it for most of his working life.

Also keep in mind that even though some products contain asbestos, not all asbestos is "friable" which is the especially hazardous kind that is most easily inhaled. (like dry ceiling texture that falls on your face and gets in the air when you dry scrape it).

Bottom line, to answer your question, I would say that you are in a very very low risk... but it's also likely that no amount of "opinions" here will calm your fears. You need to talk to a doctor or possibly a psychiatrist about your fears to give yourself some peace of mind.

 

You can relax. Whatever "exposure" you have had to asbestos in these three incidents is so minor as to be utterly undetectable unless you actually placed your head in a cloud of white dust and inhaled deeply.

 

Here's a dose of reality:

I think you are needlessly working yourself into a frenzy. If you continue to dwell on potential serious health effects, I think you are setting yourself up to be susceptible to same. I'm no scientist, but I suspect walking through a smoke-filled room presents far more of a health hazard than any of the scenarios you mentioned. Asbestos is composed of the mineral form of silica. Silica is everywhere, including in the glass windows in our building and the ground (and concrete) that we walk on. And you still look through windows, yes? And you're not afraid to walk out onto a sidewalk and through your backyard, are you?

As a construction material, asbestos was very popular in this country up until the late 1970s. Floor tiles, house siding, pipe insulation and plaster were loaded with it, but unless the members it's in are disturbed enough to create dust that can be breathed in, there's generally not a problem with it being present. My Pa enameled bath tubs for 42 years, wearing a heavy asbestos apron every single working day to shield himself from the extreme heat thrown off by the firing ovens (lined with fire brick, by the way) and red-hot tubs--he lived to be 89, and died of heart failure. I still have a few asbestos scraps he brought home from the shop (cut from worn-out aprons being thrown away), as they make great soldering and welding mats.

The EPA tried to rule out the use of asbestos in construction products after some studies of it in the 1980s showed that it can cause serious illness. However, I vaguely remember an outright ban of it being overturned in a court case. Most domestic manufacturers have voluntarily phased out the use of asbestos. Maybe a healthy starting point for you would be to phase out (change) your screen name to something that doesn't perpetuate your constant obsession with asbestos.

 

I DECLARE SHENANIGANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew this story sounded really familiar. What is your psychosis?

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/ro...t-abestos.html

 

I agree with drooplug. This sounds like the same poster from before and obviously he was not satisfied with my answers the first time he asked but I will weight in again. First; if you are really concerned then ask a healthcare professional who works with asbestos diseases and exposure risks don't ask a bunch of faceless people on a website. Second; mesothelioma is very rare. Asbestosis and/or lung cancer are far more likely. Third; mesothelioma is the only asbestos related disease that does not show a dose-response correlation. (in other words, the greater the exposure the greater your risk) It may have a correlation but as of now there is no evidence to support this theroy. On the other had all other asbestos related diseases have a very strong dose-response correlation. For this reason you should be paranoid about asbestosis or lung cancer or gastro-intestional tumors but not mesothelioma. Stop watching late night TV ads. Fourth; Why don't they memtion the other asbestos related diseases in the TV ads? because the class action lawsuits for these diseases were settled years ago. The Lawyers are chasing the last asbestos ambulance at their disposal.

 

It's been looked at by us...no proof of any duplicity. Just give your answer if you wish...or ignore this thread.