What Are Asbestos Consultants?

Asbestos consultants are professionals trained in the removal of asbestos and other asbestos related materials. They are hired by large companies that are considering abatement or the prevention of future infestations of asbestos. Companies such as asbestos fabricators, power plant owners, apartment complexes, hospitals and nursing homes are all regularly hiring asbestos consultants to help them with their asbestos abatement efforts. However, not all asbestos consultants are on the same side of the fence. Here’s how to know the difference between an honest asbestos consultant and one that may be more interested in lining their own pockets.

When asbestos consultants are hired to inspect a site, they are brought in to test the safety of buildings, power plants and even individual buildings. They are also called in to test the integrity of asbestos-containing materials. While all asbestos consultants are thorough in their inspections, not all of them inspect for asbestos-containing materials. Some asbestos consultants focus their attention only on the removal of asbestos.

When asbestos contractors are called in to test a site, they are brought in to test the quality of water runoff from the area. This testing is performed to determine if there is a possibility that the increased rate of water migration will compromise the safety of abatement work. Some asbestos consultants are even asked to observe the installation and dismantling of any asbestos-containing material. They may also be asked to walk around on the site to test the ground for any potential asbestos contamination and to document the presence of asbestos fibers.

An asbestos consultant is typically hired by a large building materials company to test the quality of insulation in buildings in the hopes of finding areas that have become overly saturated with asbestos-containing materials. This is usually done to find out where the insulation is thinning and why it is thinning so quickly. Other times the contractor will request an asbestos consultant to go in and test the thickness of existing asbestos-containing insulation in buildings.

The primary health risk of asbestos is lung cancer, although this is certainly not the only health risk associated with this mineral. Asbestosis is a long-term health risk that is associated with the constant exposure to asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma is a more common cancer type and is generally connected with long-term asbestos exposure. Prostate cancer is a rarer type of cancer associated with asbestos, but it too can occur in workers who have been exposed to asbestos in one way or another. It too can also be attributed to workers who have been exposed to asbestos fibers but do not show symptoms of this disease until much later.

There are many more specific forms of disease caused by asbestos. These include asbestosis, lung cancer, pleural plaques, and atypical pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, workers who have developed mesothelioma or developed other asbestos-containing cancers have an increased risk of developing pleural thickening of the lungs, a condition which narrows the chest and makes it difficult to breathe. Other diseases that can be attributed to asbestos exposure include pleural thickening, asbestosis, and many forms of cancer known as diffuse pleural mesothelioma.