Asbestos is a deadly fiber that seems to have been used in pretty much every industry since its fire retardant, insulating, and strengthening properties were discovered. One of those industries that used the fiber to a more limited degree is the automobile industry. The automobile industry is known to have included asbestos in the clutches, brake pads, and brake linings of their vehicles for years. For this reason, anyone working on a car should be exceptionally careful.
The clutch, regardless of whether the car has an automatic or standard transmission, is the part of the car that allows the car to shift between its gears. This allows the car to work at higher efficiency in the higher gears. The clutch is a very important piece of a car that is used almost constantly when the car is in use. It needs to be strong and able to withstand the engine's heat. For these reasons, the clutches of many cars contain asbestos.
Any individual that has ever had a clutch replaced on a car knows that it is possible for the clutch to wear out with time and miles. Any item that is subjected to friction will become worn out. The clutch on a car is not an exception. When the friction starts causing the item to break down, dust commonly forms in the area around the clutch. This dust contains asbestos fibers. When the clutch area is opened up for repairs or to check everything out if there's any sort of problem, the dust can be stirred up and released into the surrounding area. Once released, the fibers can be inhaled or swallowed and can contaminate the entire car garage.
Brakes are another huge asbestos problem for mechanics. There is even more wear and tear on brakes that causes the asbestos fibers to be broken down. These fibers are then contained in the brake housing on each wheel. Because the brake pads and the brake linings can both have asbestos in them, there is potentially much more asbestos present in brake repairs than in a clutch.
One thing that mechanics commonly do to clean off the brake housing is apply compressed air to remove all of the dirt and dust. This is the worst thing they could possibly do for their own health when dealing with asbestos fibers. The compressed air expels the dust from the brakes, this is true, but it also sprays it into the air of the car repair garage.
No mechanic, regardless of experience, is able to tell which brake pad or lining or clutch contains asbestos just by looking at the item. Because of this, any mechanic should treat every brake or clutch as containing asbestos and take all necessary precautions.
0 comments:
Post a Comment