UW Environmental Health & Safety is providing general asbestos awareness training to all UW employees, in a move to comply with Washington State Department of Labor & Industry regulations. Since its availability two months ago, more than 2,000 employees have completed the free online training.

“Our goal is to have all employees take the course,” said Roy Smith, an asbestos compliance analyst at UW Environmental Health & Safety. “What we’re trying to promote is to report damage of buildings and ensure better maintenance.”

Long-term exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, is harmful to the lungs. During a period after World War II through the 1970s, asbestos was widely used in construction because it is strong, lightweight, a good insulator and noncorrosive. When its carcinogenic properties were discovered in the 1980s, efforts were made to phase out asbestos-containing materials. However, not all asbestos products are banned in the United States.

There is a possibility that most campus buildings, especially those built before 1980, contain asbestos. The mineral is typically found in flooring, pipe insulation and ceilings.

The importation of foreign goods makes it difficult to determine whether materials contain asbestos, unless they are tested.

“We’re trying to get people to have a mindset to assume everything has asbestos,” said Stuart Cordts, a heath and safety supervisor at the UW. He said management is trying to avoid confusion about what products contain asbestos and take precautious measures.

Asbestos-containing materials do not pose a health risk unless they are loosened or damaged.

“With effective management in place, asbestos is not a health hazard,” Smith said. “It’s not a high risk to anybody as long as they are generally aware, … [and it] doesn’t warrant panic.”

To avoid exposure to asbestos, building occupants should report damaged building areas to supervisors or coordinators, who will ensure prompt repair. Simple actions such as placing floor mats under office chairs help to reduce the risk of releasing asbestos from damaged flooring.

Do-it-yourself projects are prohibited for fear of releasing asbestos. UW Facilities Services can help to arrange construction and repair of buildings.

McMahon and Terry/Lander dorms are listed on the Asbestos Area Resticted Access Report; however, most of the asbestos-related issues that UW Environmental Health & Safety encounter are precautionary measures.

“Asbestos is very heavily regulated,” Smith said. “And as a result of that, even the really little incidents get a lot of attention, which is good because then the big stuff doesn’t happen.”

The last big exposure occurred in 2005, when asbestos-containing dust traveled into two rooms of the Magnuson Health Sciences Building during remodeling. The rooms were quickly cleaned up and workers’ health was monitored. No immediate health effects could be identified.

To some degree or another, everyone is exposed to asbestos.

“In the urban environment, one of the common uses of asbestos is in brake parts,” Cordts said. “Every time you press on the brakes a little bit of asbestos is released.”

[Reach reporter Emily Lee at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]