Asbestos News
Asbestos concerns stop renovation work at UK hospital
Material that is thought to be asbestos has been discovered during renovation work at Princess Elizabeth Hospital in Guernsey, UK, stopping the work for an indefinite period of time, the BBC reports.According to the news provider, the material was discovered in the ceiling of the hospital's Ozanne ward, which had originally been scheduled to re-open this month after renovation work was completed.
The ward was initially closed in October as a result of a staff shortage and to allow floor work to be taken care of, the news source said. The discovered material has reportedly been sent to a laboratory to be examined.
The Health and Social Services Department explained that the amount of potential asbestos was small and that the risk of staff members and visitors being exposed to the dangerous mineral was minimal.
Asbestos exposure can cause a number of deadly diseases including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. According to the World Health Organization, such asbestos-related diseases kill approximately 107,000 people around the world each year.
3/2/11
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