Asbestos and Fires

asbestos exposure after fires

With all the dangerous fires happening in NSW, I thought it appropriate to offer some advice reagrding asbestos and exposure due to fires. This is a really tragic occurrance and if my advice can offer assistance to anyone then I hope my knowledge will help.

Asbestos and Fires

Asbestos that is exposed to fire or extreme heat can become brittle and breakable, or friable. Apart from age, which can turn asbestos from a safely encased substance into a dangerous and exposed one, fire is a threat to public health well beyond what damage flames and heat can produce.

In the cast of asbestos fibers, fire increases the likelihood that they will be released into the air. Once airborne, these tiny fibers are able to be inhaled or ingested by residents, emergency workers or cleanup workers, laying the groundwork for asbestosis or mesotheliomacancer.

History of Asbestos and Fire

Asbestos is one of the most heat-resistant substances known to man, yet it can be highly toxic when it is confronted by fire. The seemly magical ability of the material not to burn was displayed by the Roman Emperor Charlemagne (800-814), who used an asbestos tablecloth to convince some barbarian guests that he had supernatural powers. After the banquet he would throw the tablecloth into the fire and leave it for a while to burn off all of the food scraps and then snatch it from the flames to show everyone that it was not burned and clean.

Centuries later in a more modern world, asbestos curtains were used in theaters to separate the audience from the stage and could be quickly lowered to contain a fire on the stage. For example, the historic Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago in 1903, quickly spread out of control when the asbestos curtain became hung up on the stage lights and could not be lowered. Many of the projection booths in theaters were also treated with the fireproof material to contain any fire resulting from the highly combustible nitrocellulose film that was used through the 1930s. Asbestos shields were placed under furnaces and stoves to protect wooden floors while asbestos roofs and ceilings prevented the spread of chimney and roof fires.

For a great part of the 19th century and most of the 20th century, products made with asbestos or with some asbestos products were used to keep houses, ships, buildings, pipes and other things from getting too hot and from catching fire. But when structures did catch fire, those products were exposed in various ways, leading to toxic contamination. Smoke also carries contaminants.

Smoke Inhalation

Smoke from debris piles is made up of carbon dioxide, water vapor, carbon monoxide, fine particulate matter, hydrocarbons and other organic and non-organic substances. Smoke can contain toxins, including minute asbestos fibers, particularly when hazardous materials are burned. Materials of particular concern related to asbestos are insulation, roof materials, drywall, ceiling tiles, flooring and asphalt.

To limit exposure to hazardous material, individuals should remain at least 1,000 feet away from burning debris piles and wear appropriate protective clothing. Most protective equipment that firefighters use will eliminate the exposure to the fibers but in the secondary stages of the fire, firefighters may remove the protective gear for greater comfort and not realize that there may be high asbestos levels present.

Fires and Asbestos Debris

Fires leave a residue of ashes, half-burned materials and unburned materials that are otherwise destroyed or ruined. This debris is almost always removed from a fire site, and sometimes it contains dangerous asbestos. Only if a fire site is examined specifically for the existence of asbestos can cleanup workers be assured that none of the mineral is present.

If in doubt regarding whether asbestos is present in teh rubble after a fire get it tested by experts to ensure you don’t put yourself or others at risk.

Signing orf for now my peps sending you all love.