Most people know asbestos is a serious health hazard. But what might surprise many is how prevalent it still is today despite years of dire health warnings and the continued risk of exposure in schools, businesses and homes. This month, the latest.
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Two years ago, the Ocean View School District in Orange County, California, was forced to close multiple schools and bus 1,600 students to temporary classrooms when asbestos was discovered during a modernization project. The cost of the asbestos abatement project, combined with the cost of bussing students to other schools, as well as lost state revenue due to parents who pulled their children out of the district, topped $15 million.
Asbestos remains a widespread hazard. Nearly all U.S. schools built between the 1940s and the 1970s contain asbestos. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), any building constructed before 1981 is presumed to contain asbestos.
How do you identify and prevent possible asbestos poisoning in your schools, workplace and home?