Precautions against Asbestos Exposure

While police officers do their best to protect others and make sure they remain safe, they don’t always do enough to protect themselves, especially when it comes to hazards like toxic asbestos- the leading cause of asbestos cancer. A bulletproof vest won’t keep an officer from inhaling this dangerous material, but there are ways that these police officers can better protect themselves from materials that may harm their respiratory systems.

Equipment

It is quite difficult to tell when and where asbestos will be, but like firefighters, police officers should be prepared to face the possibility of exposure. Officers should ask their communities to help them purchase equipment to prevent inhalation while on the job. Wearing some sort of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA can help. These can be worn upon arrival at the scene as well as during any later investigation when it is deemed there is asbestos on the premises. This same equipment can be used when working on old police cars or doing any other task that requires one come in contact with hazardous asbestos.

Regular face masks can help in some cases, but tiny, sharp asbestos fibers can easily penetrate some of these masks, allowing inhalation to occur. Hence, police departments should search for equipment that is specifically designed to prevent asbestos exposure and, hence, lessen the possibilities of developing the asbestos cancer known as mesothelioma.

Maintenance

Obviously, one of the best ways to avoid developing mesothelioma is for police to work in a building that is asbestos-free. Police precincts that are housed in older buildings should always be inspected for asbestos materials. If the structure does contain asbestos, the material should be evaluated by a licensed asbestos abatement company, which can determine whether or not it should be removed.

Not all asbestos has to be removed. Asbestos that is in good condition and/or is properly encapsulated does not present a health concern. However, the materials should be inspected on an annual basis to determine whether or not they will remain or if they should be replaced with something safer. Damaged or worn asbestos is that which is most likely to eventually cause the development of mesothelioma cancer.

Furthermore, police officers should never be charged with the task of removing asbestos on their own, no matter how pressed for funds the department might be. An abatement professional should always be called upon for this task. In addition, when abatement is being performed, officers and other personnel must be sure they are not in the building or are in an isolated area where fibers will not penetrate.