Asbestos exposure health risks and corporate reputation damage
This paper is about WORKFORCE HEALTH RISKS AND REPUTATIONAL DAMAGE LINKED TO ASBESTOS IN COMPANY BUILDINGS. Asbestos is a set of six silicate minerals that are being used frequently in buildings. Inhaling the fibers of this mineral for a long period of time can result in illness. It can cause many diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma and many other diseases. The use of this mineral in the construction of buildings became popular in 19th century because of its multiple advantages which are as follow.
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ASBESTOS
Workforce Health Risks
WORKFORCE HEALTH RISKS AND REPUTATIONAL DAMAGE LINKED TO ASBESTOS IN COMPANY BUILDINGS.
Usage of Asbestos
Asbestos: A Long-Term Process
Risks of Asbestos
Asbestosis
Lung Cancer
Pulmonary Hypertension
Mesothelioma
Effects on Your Heart
Best Way to Communicate with Public
Ways to make people secure
Prevent Inhaling Asbestos
Measures to Reduce the Effects of Already Exposed Asbestos
Methods to Keep Premises Secure
With increased awareness and technological advancement across the globe, workforce rights have gained significant importance. All the companies have become conscious about providing rights to their workforce because of their increased importance for the company's growth and progress. Labor rights have gained significance in the law of every country. It refers to all claimed set of legal rights that are guaranteed by labor and employment law. It has become a necessary part of the constitutions of all the countries across the globe (Cleveland, 1998). These rights have multiple forms like compensation and benefits, salary of the workforce, pension, gratuity, rewards, perks and safe working conditions. With this increased significance of the rights of workforce, labor unions have become strong and have gained the authority to change the working situation in light of these laws. These labor rights have given eminent control and authority to the workforce and worker's self-management has increased and these days' workers have a democratic voice in decision and policy making. One of the most important rights that every company obliges to fulfill is the safety of the workforce. It is considered the right of every member of the workforce to return to his house safe and sound. Preventing illness that is the consequence of the workplace safety is the duty of every organization (Stewart & Abellard, 1992). This research paper deciphers the facts and security measures that can be adopted about the workforce health risks and reputational damage linked to asbestos in company buildings. Asbestos is a set of six silicate minerals that are being used frequently in buildings. Inhaling the fibers of this mineral for a long period of time can result in illness. It can cause many diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma and many other diseases (LaDou, 2004). The use of this mineral in the construction of buildings became popular in 19th century because of its multiple advantages like its property to absorb sound, its resistance to fire, it economical price and its tendency to increase tensile strength. Despite of its multiple advantages, it can cause serious health problems. This paper chiefly focuses on the role played by Europe and United Kingdom's market to prevent the workforce health risks and reputational damage linked to asbestos in company buildings.
Usage of Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six silicate minerals that are being used frequently in buildings. Inhaling the fibers of this mineral for a long period of time can result in illness. It can cause many diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma and many other diseases. The use of this mineral in the construction of buildings became popular in 19th century because of its multiple advantages which are as follows:
It is a strong fire resistant, tensile and can be used as an insulating material. Due to these advantages, it is frequently used in roofing and flooring of the buildings and for the purpose of fire proofing.
It is being used in many construction related products like cement pipes, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, electrical wires, refractory and boiler insulation materials, fireproof aprons manufactured in textile industry and many other products as well
Asbestos-containing products have been widely used, in one form or another, across a range of industries including shipbuilding and repair, railways, building construction and maintenance, power stations, steelworks, and motor vehicle industries.
Amount of asbestos is different in every product. Some products contain small proportions of the chemical; on the contrary, some products contain high proportion.
As a result, a wide variety of workforce is being exposed to the hazards of the chemical. People from various occupations like factory employees of the manufacturers of asbestos, automobile mechanics, boiler engineers, carpenters, miners, construction workers, electricians, workers in building where the chemical is used, etc. are at high level of risk because of the access use of asbestos.
Asbestos: A Long-Term Process
Exposure to asbestos for a long period of time can result in multiple health issues. It is a dangerous element that can cause multiple hazardous diseases. Its long-term exposure may remove a thin layer of fiber from the lungs and any health issue may not appear for 30 years of exposure to asbestos (Levine, 2011).
Risks of Asbestos
Much health related risks are associated with asbestos. The long-term diseases caused by asbestos are as follows:
Asbestosis
Long-term exposure to asbestos can result in asbestosis which is a breathing disorder where asbestos damages multiple lung tissues. The person suffering from this problem may experience pain in chest, coughing and shortness of breath.
Lung Cancer
Long-term exposure to asbestos can lead to lung cancer. Symbols of lung cancer include trouble in breathing, excess loss of weight, reduction if red blood cells, coughing up blood and hoarseness (LaDou, 2004).
Pulmonary Hypertension
As the long-term exposure to asbestos results in damaging of the tissues of lungs, so it will result in high bold pressure in the lungs, a disease called pulmonary hypertension.
Mesothelioma
Long-term exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma. It is the cancer of the tissues of the lining of lining the stomach, heart, lungs and other organs (Maule, et al., 2007).
Effects on Your Heart
Manyheart related problems can be the consequences of long-term exposure to asbestos. Many problems like failure of the right side of the heart, inefficiency of the heart to pump sufficient amount of blood to the rest of the body can be the major issues.
Ban the use of asbestos in buildings
Similarly, United Kingdom is playing a significant role about adopting preventive measures to secure the workforce from the risks and hazards of asbestos. Laws to prohibit the use of asbestos were first introduced in United Kingdom in 1980's. In 1999, government imposed a ban on import of any product containing asbestos. Another significant law passed was that work with asbestos containing material like insulating sheets will only be carried out under the supervision of licensed professionals. It also passed a law under which asbestos at work have a limit to the exposure of asbestos and should be managed properly.
Ways to make people secure
United Kingdom's legislation of 2012 has included few preventive measures in its legislation with the name "The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012." Following are the points included in legislation:
Awareness about the effects on health including the effects of smoking needs to be created
Products that contain asbestos must mention its amount present
Significance of preventive measures need to be pointed out
Organizations should be told about preventive measures that can be adopted
Awareness about emergency procedures must be spread
Medical examinations requirements must be highlighted
Prevent Inhaling Asbestos
Following measures can be adopted to prevent inhaling asbestos:
While using any material that contains asbestos, directions mentioned must be followed properly to prevent the hazards
If the profession involves high risk of exposure to asbestos then wearing equipment like gear and taking precautions in the work area can be very helpful
Factories that manufacture asbestos must clarify the risks and dangers of the product and provide its workforce with equipment's to reduce the risk and should arrange proper checkups for its workforce.
Measures to Reduce the Effects of Already Exposed Asbestos
Measures that should be adopted to reduce the harmful effects of inhaled asbestos are as follows:
Get yourself a complete check up
Follow the doctor's prescription carefully
Get the checkups done regularly because symptoms of asbestos appear after a long period of time
Using preventing measures and safety devices while working with asbestos
Quit smoking as it can intensify the effects of asbestos
Methods to Keep Premises Secure
Many commonly used areas can be a source of exposure to asbestos. These premises include, industries, commercial or public buildings, offices, schools, hospitals, markets etc. many domestic areas are also exposed to the risks of the element like lifts, stair cases, kitchens, insulating materials used in flats and buildings etc. The following methods can be adopted to keep the premises secure from the hazards and risks of asbestos:
Figure out the unnecessary use of asbestos in domestic as well as non-domestic areas
Presume the materials which involve the risk of asbestos present in them
Keep a record of materials that contain asbestos
Employers can be held responsible in the premises that contain asbestos in the workplace. It is the duty and obligation of the employer to provide a safe working environment to its workforce and they should create awareness about the risks and hazards of asbestos and provide them with adequate safety training. Employers are bound by law to provide safety measures to the workforce and they can be challenged legally for any health issue (Carrington, 2007). Thus, it is the responsibility of the employer to adopt preventive measures to reduce the hazards of asbestos in the workplace premises.(LaDou, 2004)(Mackenbach, 2002)
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