Asbestos in the Petroleum Industry

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By Chris Schaefer

There is a great deal of ignorance about the presence and the hazards of exposure to asbestos and asbestos containing material (ACM), particularly in the petroleum industry. It is my hope that the following information will provide employers with the incentive to use alternatives to ACM.

 
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring mineral fibers. It is legally mined in several countries including Canada, Russia and China. Asbestos has many useful properties. It is a very strong material that resists burning even at high temperatures, dampens noise, resists chemical corrosion, insulates against electrical conduction and it is very flexible. All of these properties once made it desirable for many oilfield applications including, the manufacturing of boiler and machine room insulation and insulation for either exposed or concealed pipes. Another area where ACM is commonly found in the oilfield is in the brake blocks and linings as well as clutching facings in older transportation equipment, including oil rigs. Application of ACM was quite common until the late 1970s, when the magnitude of health problems became apparent.

 The risk associated with an ACM is due to exposure potential, not the toxicity of it. The exposure potential is minimal for ACM in good condition, in an inaccessible location and protected from damage. Where damage or disturbance cannot be controlled, such as continuous friction, as is the case with braking materials, management of the exposure risk is very difficult. If there is ACM present, a risk assessment, to decide whether or not these products pose a hazard, must be conducted by a competent individual.

 
Some of the factors a trained assessor will consider when determining an exposure risk include: the condition of the ACM, accessibility, friability as well as activity and movement.

 The condition of the material may indicate how easily fibers can be released into the air. If the ACM can be reached or if it is close to heating, ventilation, lighting and plumbing systems, it is considered accessible. Damage is an indicator of accessibility. The easier an ACM crumbles, the more friable the material and the greater the potential for fiber release. ACM brake components are considered nonfriable in an undisturbed state because the fibers are tightly bound by other materials such as vinyl or cement. However, when these braking parts are subjected to friction and heat, they release fibers into the air and may constitute a high exposure risk. Depending on the asbestos concentration of the brakes, a high exposure risk may exist any time the braking components are engaged.

 
Unlike man-made fibers, asbestos fibers can be split into ever thinner fibers. Asbestos fibers can split so thin you cannot see them without a microscope. For example, the average diameter of a human hair is 40 microns, while asbestos fibers range from .02 – 1.5 microns. Judging fiber release by how much you can see is not a reliable method of determining exposure risk. Released fibers can remain airborne for several hours. The smaller the fiber, the deeper it can be inhaled. Fiber-related disease can result.

 
The three main diseases caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers are asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. The length of exposure to asbestos fibers to cause disease can range from 2 months to 50 years. These diseases are not obvious immediately, but they are more likely to show up 10 – 20 years after asbestos exposure. They are irreversible, fatal diseases. Some signs of asbestos-related health problems include unexplained weight loss, increased breathlessness, severe coughing, chest pains and eventually death.

Asbestos exposure while smoking increases the risk of lung cancer as much as 70 times.

 The Occupational Health and Safety Act is administered by the Provincial Government for all employees. It contains specific regulations regarding the exposure, personal protective equipment, elimination and disposal of ACM.

 Government regulations provide procedures that employers must comply with to ensure worker and public safety. No one should ever consider removal or any alteration of an asbestos containing material without first contacting an abatement professional. If you have overlooked or ignored the hazardous aspects of asbestos in favor of its useful properties, consider this, when a worker is unknowingly exposed, or not competent to be involved in asbestos work, the consequences can be extreme.

 Because asbestos-related diseases can often take 10 years or more to become apparent, employers who have their untrained employees exposed to asbestos face the potential of huge class action lawsuits from sick employees as well as heavy fines and even possible prison time.

 
If you have any questions or if you require a risk assessment contact us at SafeCom Training Services Inc. at 780-455-5090 or chris.schaefer@safecom-inc.com. SafeCom provides a variety of safety training as well as risk assessments of asbestos containing material (ACM).