The largest groups of people affected by asbestos in the past and even today are in the construction industry. While many of us live our daily lives without a significant exposure risk, many tradespeople are dealing with the consequences of long-term exposure, and some are still at risk of being exposed to asbestos long after we’ve stopped using it.

As a result, you might be curious about their thoughts on asbestos and the helpful information they have learned. We can’t speak for them, but you can gain insight into the average builder’s everyday working world below.

• These include:

• Builders

• Bricklayers

• Home handymen

• Electricians

• Plumbers

• Gasfitters

• Fencers

• Carpenters

• Maintenance workers

• Demolition workers

• Insulation installers

• Cladding installers

• Landscapers

• Kitchen and bathroom installers

• HVAC workers

• Tilers

• Roof and guttering installers

• Painter-decorators

• And more…

They Didn’t Know the Risks

With all the information we have at our fingertips today about asbestos, it’s hard to believe that builders and other tradespeople had no idea that what they were working with was deadly.

However, many of them didn’t, and manufacturers and business owners were equally as ignorant. According to builder Ewen Oats interviewed in an ODT article, he knew nothing about the asbestos health risks when he used to cut asbestos sheets as a 16-year-old.

He said they were given paper masks to wear, but they were nothing compared to the respirators that are required for working around asbestos today. Ewen said that workers used to just slice into the sheets with saws and rip asbestos products from floors, walls, and roofs, on demolition jobs.

While he doesn’t yet have an asbestos-related condition, he admits that his lung capacity is below average and accepted that he might be a candidate for a related illness in the future.

Gary Douglas, also mentioned in the article, used to cut and drill asbestos flat sheets and only knew about the risks once it was too late. Since then, he has learned of at least two men he knew who have died from asbestos-related illnesses, an electrician and a plumber, and a third, a former plumber, needing oxygen to survive.

They’re More Aware of the Risks Now

After seeing older tradespeople succumb to illnesses like mesothelioma and now having access to a range of health and safety measures, most tradespeople are more aware of asbestos risks than ever before.

They rely on licensed asbestos removalists to take care of friable and non-friable asbestos, and they wear the appropriate PPE if they’re working around potentially hazardous ACM. While they aren’t able to avoid asbestos altogether, they at least know how to keep themselves and their families as safe as possible – knowledge that wasn’t available in previous generations.

They Want to Improve the Conditions for Future Generations

Many retired tradespeople are well aware that their working conditions were far different from builders and other construction workers today. Several more health and safety measures are in place, and there are support options for people who need time off work for injuries and general health.

Some of these measures include licensing to ensure the right people are taking care of asbestos, the use of PPE, air monitoring, decontamination, and alternative options to removal, such as encapsulation.

There is also now an Asbestos Exposure Database, which WorkSafe set up for research purposes. If you have been exposed to asbestos through paid work or elsewhere, you can include your information on the register so that we can better understand the effects of exposure in New Zealand.

It’s Not a Material to Underestimate

While some builders might have a gung-ho attitude to asbestos materials, the majority understand just how hazardous to health it can be. Scientists can’t even agree on a ‘safe’ exposure limit since even a single exposure event might put you at risk. It’s often the luck of the draw – or lack thereof.

As a result, most builders won’t think twice about alerting homeowners to the potential presence of asbestos-containing materials before renovations get underway. If the home is built before 2000, most will encourage asbestos testing and removal to ensure their safety.

Take Care With This Hazardous Substance

Tradies are under a great deal of pressure, and the presence of asbestos certainly doesn’t help. However, we live in a much better time than we used to.

With an understanding of the risks and companies like Chemcare to help with its safe control and removal, we can keep our loved ones safer than ever before. In the future, exposure risks might gradually decrease until a time when all Kiwi homes have been renovated and we no longer have to worry about this hazardous substance.