Global Asbestos Awareness Week and Efforts to Protect Residents of Puerto Rico

The first week of April marks the 18th annual Global Asbestos Awareness Week (GAAW). The week-long campaign was begun by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and is a designed to educate the public about asbestos and exposure hazards.
 
The term “asbestos” is a commercial name, not a mineralogical definition, given to a variety of six naturally occurring fibrous minerals according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). They include chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite.
 
These minerals possess high tensile strength, flexibility, resistance to chemical and thermal degradation, and electrical resistance. They have been used for decades in thousands of commercial products, and although the use of asbestos and asbestos products has dramatically decreased, they can be still found in many residential, commercial and institutional settings.  
 
“When handled, or if asbestos-containing materials have become friable, asbestos fibers can remain in the air for long periods making them easily inhaled,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “Exposure over time can result in life-threatening diseases. These include asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Due to these hazards, asbestos is now highly regulated by both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”
 
In Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean, Zimmetry’s industrial hygiene, environmental and building science professionals offer comprehensive asbestos testing and consulting services to identify and mitigate these types of risks. These services not only protect workers and the public, they are essential for keeping businesses and institutions in regulatory compliance. Zimmetry also recently sponsored an educational video about Global Asbestos Awareness Week that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/CBv3JSJXVdQ
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their asbestos, indoor air quality (IAQ), occupational and compliance services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.
 

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail