Asbestos News
Australian doctors express concerns over asbestos at hospital
Staff members at an Australian hospital are claiming that the condition of the facility has become so poor that patients are now facing potential asbestos exposure.Dr. Catherine Lennon told the Cadtle Hill News that the situation at Hornsby Hospital has grown dire.
"The Department of Health has ignored this hospital for a long time now," she said.
Like many older buildings, some of the structures on the hospital's grounds contain asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely used in the construction industry because of its resistance to flame and insulating properties. However, by the mid-1960s it had become known that exposure to the substance could cause a number of serious illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health told the news provider that the hospital has had an asbestos abatement plan for more than 20 years.
"Annual inspections of the hospital site, which contains over 50 buildings, are undertaken on an annual basis by specialist industrial hygienists," she said.
Such inspections are important to ensure that asbestos does not become disturbed and inhaled by anyone in the vicinity.
3/22/11
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