Health Risk Associated With Asbestos - Research Paper Example

Asbestos Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Health Risk Associated With Asbestos 4 Mitigation of Risk Associated With Asbestos 5 Performance Measurement System 7 What to Measure 7 How to Measure 7 Steps to Check Asbestos Effects 8 Introduction The word ‘asbestos’ in Greek means inextinguishable or indestructible. Asbestos are a set of naturally existing fibrous minerals. These minerals exist in rocks and soil in different parts of the world. It contains elements like silicon, manganese and is commonly used in the manufacturing of certain products like building materials, insulation of factories, schools and homes, ceiling and floor tiles, clutch parts. Asbestos includes anthophyllite asbestos, tremolite, crocidolite, amosite, asbestos, actinolite asbestos, chrysotile, or any of these materials which are modified or altered (American Cancer Society, n.d.). Health Risk Associated With Asbestos Previously, people did not know the risk associated with asbestos and began to use asbestos in a wide range of activities. With the due passage of time and extensive research by researchers, it was found that asbestos were responsible for a considerable proportion of health risk attached with people. People are both directly and indirectly affected by asbestos. People are directly affected by asbestos through inhalation of considerable amount of asbestos by people in their working environment. Asbestos fibers when exposed to air causes air pollution which indirectly affects people. Direct contact with person who inhaled asbestos can also affect the health of people. It was revealed that exposure to asbestos caused a number of health diseases. A few of them were manageable and some were fatal. Asbestos particles which are released into the air are inhaled by humans by breathing or through a membrane called mesothelium. The inhalation of these fibers can make cells more cancer prone. Earlier mainly the mining workers were exposed to asbestos and affected by it, but due to the wide acceptance of asbestos in industries, schools and housing, the number of people affected by asbestos has increased. The consequences of asbestos inhalation are usually associated with the amount of asbestos the person is exposed to, how often the person is exposed and the tenure of exposure. The main effects can result in asbestosis, pleural mesothelioma or lung cancer (Asbestos, 2010). Mitigation of Risk Associated With Asbestos With the increase in awareness of health diseases associated with asbestos, continuous efforts have been made to minimize its impact on human health. In 1970, the Congress in US passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act with a view to protect workers from occupational hazards. EPA also monitors the exposure of asbestos through its regulations which is known as National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. This regulation passed by Environmental Protection Agency specifies measures to control the release of asbestos in air. It also passed AHERA to handle the ACM which are used in schools (Areforum, 2008). OSHA which was established in 1970 also passed regulations to protect workers from exposure to asbestos. It has set limits to the number of fibers which a worker can be exposed to which is called permissible exposure limit. OSHA is also issuing Safety and Health Information Bulletin for awareness of employees working in automobile industries regarding the risk associated with brakes and clutches containing asbestos (Areforum, 2008). SESA (Safety and Environmental Services Australia) established in 2008 are focusing on the need of awareness training on the risk related with asbestos to be provided to the employees working with ACM. SESA’s training program is provided and developed by expert trainers and consultants. In Australia all types of asbestos are banned to reduce and eliminate the effect of asbestos on human health. The last regulation regarding banning of asbestos was passed on 31 December 2003 which was targeted towards banning of chrysotile asbestos nation wide. All other types of asbestos and their use were previously banned in Australia. The objectives which were to be achieved were eliminating overall illness and deaths resulting from asbestos and protection of environment as asbestos particles polluted air. In 2005, NOHSC released the revised Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces. This revised code was aimed at the ultimate removal of asbestos and ACM from workplace and providing guidelines for handling these materials to prevent any kind of health diseases (Safework, 2010). United States is also undertaking the biggest environmental project which could cost about $50 billion to completely eradicate asbestos and ACM from US. Despite the various efforts of government and other agencies on the minimization of usage of asbestos, there can still be found the evidences of the effect of asbestos on health of people and these are increasing with an increasing death rate of people out of diseases caused by asbestos. In future focus should be provided to make workers and employers aware of the effect of asbestos on their health and environment. Formulation of compulsory regulations regarding implication of safety measures in factories for asbestos workers and miners. Awareness should also be targeted towards society for informing the general people regarding the negative effect of asbestos. Use of asbestos in public places such as schools, offices, hotels should be banned to prevent common people from asbestos effect. Performance Measurement System Any organization where asbestos or ACM are used can be taken into account for performance measurement system. Here, the workplace which is being considered is of automobile industry. In automobile industry asbestos are used in brake pads, clutch gaskets and clutch facings. Workers of automobile industry are directly affected by asbestos. What to Measure In this workplace the effects of asbestos on the health of organizational employees is to be measured. How worker’s health is being affected by the asbestos used in organization and its effect on the workers and the organizational efficiency. How to Measure Measurement of effect of asbestos on the organizational efficiency can be measured through the evaluation of a number of things. First absenteeism of workers in the organization should be measured and compared with previous data. Secondly by taking a sample of some of the workers and conducting medical check up of their health. The report of this check up can be analyzed to get the required data. Third step which can be taken to measure the effect of asbestos is by performing the efficiency of workers in organizational activities. Steps to Check Asbestos Effects In order to control the effect of asbestos in an organization, the organization can promote safe and hygienic working conditions by implementing safety requirement standards in the organizations. Workers and other employees must be communicated about the risk associated with asbestos and its harmful consequences. They must be taught the measures and ways to minimize the effect by using safety means during working hours. Educating workers will result in co-operation from their side also and will lead to low case of asbestos effect in any organization. This will help in increasing organizational efficiency and performance. Cost Benefit Analysis of Reducing the Risk to Acceptable Levels Reducing the level of asbestos effect on organization adds both to cost and benefit for an organization. Although there are benefits of reducing the level of asbestos in an organization, but like a coin has two sides, it has some costs too. The cost and benefit of reducing asbestos level in organization are stated under. Cost First of all the organization will have to incur heavy cost in educating workers along with implementing safety standards in organization and in handling ACM. Despite all these efforts, the status in organization may remain the same. Secondly, valuable time of organization will also be lost in communicating to the workers. Workers in the mean time could go into production and other organizational activities. Educating workers and implementation of new system means huge loss of time. Benefit The first benefit of reducing the level of asbestos is that of motivational level of workers. Workers will feel that management is conscious about their health and will co-operate better with the organization. Increased motivational level will lead to increase performance and efficiency of worker. This will help in organizational growth. There will be low workers absenteeism in the organization. Thirdly the organizational functioning will also not be affected by government and other agencies which are concerned with safety of the workers within the organization. References American Cancer Society, (No Date). Asbestos. Learn About Cancer. Retrieved Online on November 03, 2010 from http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/Pollution/asbestos?sitearea=PED Asbestos, (2010). Health Risks of Asbestos. Asbestos Exposure. Retrieved Online on November 03, 2010 from http://www.asbestos.net/asbestos/health-risks-of-asbestos.html Areforum, (2008). Regulatory Programs. Asbestos Awareness Program. Retrieved Online on November 03, 2010 from http://www.areforum.org/up/Pre-Design/ASBESTOS%20AWARENESS%20PROGRAM.doc Safework, (2010). All Forms Of Asbestos Are Banned In Australia. Asbestos What You Should Know. Retrieved Online on November 03, 2010 from http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/uploaded_files/asbestos_whatyoushouldknow.pdf Bibliography USA Today, (No Date). USA Today. Asbestos. Retrieved Online on November 03, 2010 from http://www.nofluoride.com/asbestos.cfm Read More