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If you are the handy person around the house and like to tinker around with the cars too, take caution.  The OSHA warns that some older models of cars and trucks may contain asbestos in the brakes and clutches.  Asbestos is a fading issue with regard to buildings, as it has been banned for years.  We are still not completely rid of the harmful substance yet, however.

The Arkansas Worker Safety Alert urges that everyone allow professionals to handle the brakes and clutches that need repair.  Employers of these facilities should make sure that all of their workers are well aware of the risks of asbestos exposure, and what precautions to take.  There should be special written procedures available for all employees so that they can handle brakes and clutches properly.  It is imperative that all the clutch and brake repairs be done as if they contain asbestos.  Since the particles break down to extremely tiny pieces, it is almost impossible to see the asbestos.  Mechanics shouldn’t take any chances.

High levels of asbestos exposure can have deadly results.  Many diseases, such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis claim the lives of nearly 10,000 people annually.  Since asbestos can become so miniscule, once it gets into the air it can be breathed in.  Long term effects of enough asbestos exposure are awful, which is why the substance was banned.  Unfortunately, news of its presence in these car parts shows that we aren’t in the clear just yet.

The federal OSHA urges all employees in related industries to handle all brakes and clutches as if they contained asbestos.  It is every employer’s responsibility to provide instructions that will minimize asbestos exposure in their shop or garage.  It only takes one poorly handled clutch or brake to expose the entire area to this hazardous material.  Everyone, please do your part and help keep yourself and others around you healthy.

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