Floor Tile Asbestos Exposure

Identifying asbestos floor tiles.

Floor tile asbestos exposure.

Asbestos containing ceiling tiles floor tiles undamaged laboratory cabinet tops shingles fire doors siding shingles etc. When vinyl asbestos flooring is crumbling or damaged it is considered friable. The definitive way to find out if tiles contain asbestos is to have them tested. When these mineral fibers are released into the air and breathed in over long periods of time they can cause lung disease.

Asbestos has also been used in a wide range of manufactured goods mostly in building materials roofing shingles ceiling and floor tiles paper products and asbestos cement products friction products automobile clutch brake and transmission parts heat resistant fabrics packaging gaskets and coatings. That means it is safe to walk on but not safe to scrape sand or use power tools on. In this case it needs to be removed very carefully to avoid asbestos exposure. Reducing exposure to asbestos is the best prevention against asbestosis.

Armstrong s seneca white image it is likely that this is an asbestos containing floor tile. Asbestos floor tile is not. Asbestos is found naturally in rock and soil. But when vinyl asbestos flooring is in good condition it is considered nonfriable.

See armstrong floor tile list 1969. At above left is a 12 x 12 vinyl asbestos floor tile found in a home built in 1969. If an asbestos ceiling tile is drilled or broken for example it may release fibers into the air. Many homes schools and other buildings built before the 1970s have materials such as pipes and floor tiles.

Manufacturers often made this type of flooring with a friable asbestos backing which means mineral fibers are easily. Testing found 3 chrysotile asbestos in this floor tile sample. Will not release asbestos fibers unless they are disturbed or damaged in some way. However once considerable testing proved that it was a killer the miracle became a nightmare to deal with and remove.

The properties of asbestos made it an ideal material for use in a number of products including insulation material for buildings boilers and pipes. Asbestos vinyl sheet flooring poses a significantly greater asbestos exposure risk than floor tiles or wallpaper. In the united states federal law requires employers in industries that work with asbestos products such as construction to take special safety measures. Asbestos floor tile identification photos 1949 1959.

Sbestos was once considered a miracle material used in everything from paint and pipe insulation to even tiling. Car brakes and floor tiles insulating board.