Custodial and maintenance staff who work around the material must be trained in asbestos care and management. You may have seen sections of your workplace encased in plastic sheeting with ominous asbestos signs and wondered what was going on. The signs warn that the carefully controlled process to contain asbestos fibers is under way. While the plastic acts as a physical barrier, the enclosed area is under negative pressure through use of fan-filter systems to keep the fibers contained. Inside the enclosure, the use of wet removal methods and other procedures greatly reduce airborne fibers and ensure the safety and health of the building's occupants.
Injuries occur when one inhales the microscopic asbestos fibers in the air.
The more you inhale, the greater the risk. But these diseases occur primarily in people exposed to greater concentrations of asbestos dust than the ordinary person would encounter in a lifetime. Airborne measurements of homes and commercial buildings with asbestos in them typically reveal fiber levels little different from those in urban outdoor air, which contains asbestos dust from auto brake linings, building demolitions and other sources. Rest assured, there is an effective and efficient asbestos control program in place in the Department, managed by knowledgeable, concerned professionals vigilant in providing a safe and healthful work place. Since 1983, the file has been sent to embassies every evening via computer in five regional editions in English and in translations in Russian, Arabic, Spanish, French and, soon, Chinese.