Link To - ‘ Asbestos in the Home' Article

Asbestos are widely used, fibrous forms of mineral silicates which belong to the serpentine and amphibole groups of minerals. The fibrous material mined from the rock mineral is used in the manufacture of a vast array of materials used in the construction industry and a wide range of products such as heat resistant textiles, textured coatings, asbestos cement products (pipes), thermal insulation, brake and clutch linings, gaskets, floor tiles and packing materials. It is the specific properties of asbestos such as resistance to heat and corrosive chemicals and it's mechanical strength that make it so valuable to industry.

Asbestos fibres enter the body by inhalation of airborne particles or by ingestion and can become embedded in the tissues of the respiratory or digestive systems.

Years of exposure to asbestos can cause numerous disabling or fatal diseases. Among these diseases are; asbestosis, an emphysema like condition; lung cancer; mesothelioma, a cancerous tumour that spreads rapidly in the cells of membranes covering the lungs and body organs; and gastrointestinal cancer.

Since 1978, however, OSH has regulated asbestos exposure in general industry thereby causing a significant decline in the use of asbestos-containing materials. Via the use of regulations and the current Guidelines for the Management and Removal of Asbestos (1999) the long term goal is for the removal of asbestos from all products.

Dowdell & Associates Ltd staff have a long established creditability in providing consultancy and analytical services with regard to asbestos related problems.

Specific areas of expertise include the following;

- Surveys. MDHS 100 methodology Surveying, Sampling and Assessment of Asbestos Containing Materials as promoted by the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

- Identification in raw materials and building products. (IANZ Registered)

- Air monitoring for respirable fibre. (IANZ Registered)

- Clearance monitoring (often mandatory) following asbestos removal.

(IANZ Registered)

- Asbestos hazard management plans. - Building Registers

Registration Councils in both New Zealand (I.A.N.Z.) and Australia (N.A.T.A.).

  Back To Services Page