AIR POLLUTION

You should be aware of the work conditions that cause air pollution and of the efforts required to reduce or correct the problem. When incomplete combustion occurs in boilers, space heaters, and stoves, the unburned hydrocarbons and various other fuel components combine chemically to form byproducts. Many of these by-products are harmful when emitted into the environment.

These by-products that affect the air are carbon monoxide, particulate matter, sulphur oxides, unburned hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and lead. The most effective means of controlling air pollution from incomplete fuel combustion is to maintain the equipment properly and frequently. In this way, the equipment is operating at an optimal fuel and oxygen mixture. Another alternative, not always under your control, is to use only the best grade of fuel. This fuel contains low particulate matter, low water and sulphur content, and few contaminants.

ASBESTOS

Asbestos dust is another air pollutant that you must be knowledgeable of and concerned with in the installation, maintenance, and removal of asbestos material from a construction site.

Asbestos is a fibrous material that can be wooven like wool. Through a variety of processes, asbestos can be turned into thousands of construction products. Asbestos has been used by humans for over 2,500 years, It was not until the 1800s that asbestos was determined to be a health hazard. In the 1900s, asbestos was discovered to be the main cause of asbestosis (a generic term for a wide range of asbestos-related disorders) and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma at one time was a very rare form of lung cancer. It is presently occurring much more frequently among people exposed to asbestos dust particles.

There are three terms associated with asbestos dust particle size that you will encounter. These terms are micron, nanometer, and angstrom. To give you an idea of their size, in 1 meter there are 1 million microns, 1 billion nanometers, and 10 billion angstroms.

It was not until the advent of the transmission electron microscope and the scanning electron microscope in the latter part of the 1950s that the true size (200 to 250 angstroms) of an asbestos particle was discovered. Air that appears dust-free may contain millions of disease-producing asbestos dust particles. These minuscule' particles cannot be seen by the naked eye and can remain suspended in the air for months. In working to solve this problem, you must take air samples to ascertain the severity of the situation. The air must be scrubbed with a special air filtration machine to remove the particles.

Naval guidance for asbestos handling, demolition, and disposal are covered by OPNAVINST 5100.23. However, you should also learn the local laws and restrictions pertinent to the locale in which you work. These federal, state, and local laws are important. In an overseas location, the laws of the host country must be researched and clearly understood in the construction planning phase. It is inevitable that somewhere in the disposal cycle, transporting of this type of material to a disposal site will take place over roads not directly under Navy control.

Always research the laws governing asbestos. If you are continually involved with asbestos, you need to stay informed of current regulations and laws because they are constantly changing and being updated.

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