Attachments
1. INTRODUCTION
Asbestos has been widely used in the construction industry around the world due to its heat resistant and insulating properties. It is often found in its various forms during humanitarian response operations following conflicts and natural disasters, particularly during search and rescue operations in damaged buildings, clean-up of debris, and transitional settlement and reconstruction activities. All forms of asbestos, including chrysotile, are classified as known human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). According to global estimates, an estimated 100,000 people die of asbestos-related diseases each year. Its use has consequently been banned in over 40 countries worldwide. However, booming construction industries’ need for cheap materials, the lack of alternatives and lack of awareness of the health risks account for a shift of asbestos consumption to the developing world, where there is little or no control legislation. The safe use of asbestos does not exist and there is no known acceptable safe exposure limit. The main difficulties faced by transitional settlement and reconstruction specialists in post-disaster operations in the field come under two separate categories.
#JEU