Asbestos – an invisible danger that claims more than 1500 lives every year. As the protection professionals at Allprotec®, our goal is to make this invisible threat visible and warn against it. Asbestos was imported in Germany between 1950 and 1995 in quantities of about 4.4 million tons, because it was a popular additive for various building materials and products such as floor coverings, façade cladding, roof coverings and insulating compounds.
The fact that 80 percent of the German population lives in houses built before the complete ban on asbestos in 1993 is worrying. It is precisely these older houses that are currently being renovated, converted or renovated. This produces dangerous dusts that can contain deadly asbestos fibres. Contact with asbestos can cause asbestosis, which in turn can lead to lung cancer – a disease that is often incurable.
The risk of developing lung cancer increases fivefold due to the handling of asbestos. For smokers, the risk even increases fifty-fold. Millions of tonnes of asbestos are found in old buildings, and during renovation work, this carcinogenic substance can be released and thus become a serious problem. The Industrial Union Building, Agriculture and Environment (IG BAU) is now warning of a new asbestos danger in connection with the energy-efficient renovation of buildings and the conversion of residential buildings. These construction measures will increase sharply in the coming years and can lead to a veritable "asbestos wave". This poses a danger not only to construction workers, but also to do-it-yourselfers.
However, there is an all-clear for residents of residential buildings built with asbestos-containing building materials: "There is no immediate risk to health," explained IG BAU, the Pestel Institute and the German Employers' Liability Insurance Association for the Construction Industry (BG BAU) at a joint press conference. A risk of asbestos in old buildings can only arise when they are renovated or converted.
"Asbestos has been used in many building materials, including plaster, fillers and tile adhesives. Building materials with sprayed asbestos are particularly problematic, as the asbestos fibres are less strongly bound here and can be released more easily," says Sonia Niedhart
In particular, elevator shafts and shafts with supply and disposal lines used to be intensively covered with spray asbestos. There is currently a particular risk of asbestos contamination in buildings with elevators, as these are mainly found in larger buildings. Nationwide, there are about 3 million apartments that were built between 1950 and 1990 in apartment buildings with 13 or more apartments. Extreme caution is required for renovations in an inhabited state.
IG BAU is observing an increase in asbestos-related diseases and is therefore calling for intensive education. Construction workers and do-it-yourselfers must be informed about how they can best protect themselves from asbestos. This information should be conveyed in the language that they understand, including their mother tongue. The union is calling for an information campaign by the federal and state governments.
In addition, IG BAU calls for increased occupational health and safety inspections by the states and an increase in inspection personnel. Currently, one inspector is mathematically responsible for the occupational health and safety of around 23,000 employees, while the International Labour Organization (ILO) recommends a quota of one inspector for a maximum of 10,000 employees. The states should focus more on construction sites in their inspections and focus on asbestos occupational safety.
In view of the current asbestos danger, it is more important than ever to protect oneself from the invisible dangers. The protection professionals at Allprotec® offer a wide range of personal protective equipment that has been specially developed for handling asbestos. From protective suits to respirators to special personal protective equipment – Allprotec® supports construction workers and do-it-yourselfers in working safely and securely. Because the best protection is still the one you wear.
Whether it's renovation or refurbishment work, asbestos poses serious health risks. The protection professionals at Allprotec® are at your side for all questions about the right protection and offer tailor-made solutions for your individual needs. Protect yourself and your employees from the invisible dangers of asbestos – with professional equipment from Allprotec®.