Asbestos, which has been the cause of much sickness in many individuals who have been exposed to it, has been found in a North Carolina funeral parlor. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has explained on their Facebook page the nature of the citation they have given to the North Carolina funeral home for this violation.

Asbestos was very popular among manufacturers and construction builders in the late 19th century. Its use was so prevalent because of its sound absorption, average tensile strength, and its resistance to heat, electrical and chemical damage. Many buildings were made with this substance without knowledge of its dangers.

When experts realized that the reason people were getting sick was because they had been exposed to asbestos, buildings were torn down and ordinances were put into place to get rid of any construction that was know to be built with asbestos.

Asbestos exposure becomes a health concern when people inhale high concentrations of its fibers into their lungs. People who become ill from inhaling asbestos are often those who are exposed on a day-to-day basis because they work in a building constructed with asbestos or they live in a place constructed with it. They can also get sick when they work directly with it. Disease is very unlikely to result from a single, high-level exposure, or from a short period of exposure to lower levels, but none-the-less longer term asbestos exposure is very harmful.

The NFDA recently learned that the North Carolina OSHA, a state OSHA program, had found that a North Carolina funeral home failed to perform a bulk survey to determine the presence, location and quantity of asbestos in the building. The funeral home was cited for their lack of compliance. This funeral home was built prior to 1973 when asbestos use was very common.

The NFDA is currently investigating this North Carolina funeral home. They are unaware of other citations being issued to any funeral homes by either federal or state OSHA inspectors, which is good news.

If you feel you are subject to a similar inspection or asbestos-related citation, you can contact NFDA and notify the Advocacy Division staff in Washington, D.C.'s Senior Vice President of Advocacy John Fitch, jfitch@nfda.org or 202-547-0441, or Director of Political Affairs Lesley Witter, lwitter@nfda.org or 202-547-0877.

Written by KC Kelly, Ph.D.