The History of Asbestos in Queensland

Sometime in the late 19th century, builders were discovering ways of improving the process of constructing houses and buildings. Back then, asbestos was gaining ground as one of the preferred materials when manufacturing walls and roofs. As its use became more popular, the advantages of using asbestos made it a priority for companies looking to get a hold of alternatives to simple wood and cement during construction.

Asbestos is a good absorber of sound. Since it has fibrous qualities, sound is trapped before it can travel to the other side of the wall or roof. Asbestos also has the ability to resist heat and is also known to be a fire retardant. Tensile strength is also significant, making it almost impervious to damage caused by various elements. Electrical shortage will not cause it much harm and chemicals do not easily penetrate the inside section.

During the 1930s, the diseases and harmful effects brought about by asbestos were brought to the attention of the authorities. As it turned out, the fibrous nature of asbestos causes sickness that is not easily identified early on. Once the material is inhaled, it may take months or years to show its effects. The fibres can get stuck in the organs and they eventually cause respiratory failure. Eventually, companies stopped using asbestos for their products. During the 1980s, almost all output from factories did not contain asbestos at all.

In Australia, the presence of asbestos in building materials was given a nationwide ban by the start of the 1990s. Old buildings and houses across the states may still contain asbestos, making it extremely important for administrators and homeowners to have their places checked.

If not addressed early on, asbestos can lead to effects that threaten the health and lifestyle of whole towns. This is the exact thing that happened to Wittenoom in Western Australia. Located in the area is a mine where asbestos was harvested. Due to the dangers of too much exposure to the material, the place eventually turned into a ghost town. It was considered a contaminated site and was even removed in updated maps.

For Queensland, 2005 marked the year where significant steps were taken to address the issue of asbestos and its effects on health. The removal is not a just a simple process of stripping it off and throwing it in the bin. There are licenses available before anyone can start identifying and removing asbestos from affected sites.

Asbestos still remains as a big concern when dealing with older products and sites in Queensland and Australia as a whole. It was still being used in cars up to 2003 and was utilised as casing for electrical wires.

If you have reason to believe that asbestos is present in your workplace, don’t hesitate to contact the experts from Asbestos Removals Australia at www.asbestosremovalsaustralia.com.au.