Asbestos Inspection

Asbestos was the universal component to make products back in the day.  It was used like plastic is used today.  Many items used asbestos for heat absorption and insulation.  An ironing board would be lined with asbestos for heat dispersion, and the electric iron also used would have asbestos in the wiring for insulation.  Walls and ceilings would use asbestos to keep rooms warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  Also, glue holding down the linoleum floors would have asbestos.  This should give you an idea of the massive scope of the current problem.  
It was later learned that asbestos in certain forms would be toxic and the intensity would increase drastically if exposed over time.  For example, asbestos can be fine particles in the air that a person could breathe the particles in, but the particles may be difficult to breathe out once in the body.  Other forms of asbestos could be in heat resistant clothing.  
An Asbestos Inspector is familiar with the products that asbestos was used in to produce and can test surfaces for asbestos.  Multiple samples may be required for testing each surface area to identify if asbestos is present.  Once the areas have been identified, the Asbestos Inspector will determine if the material should come out immediately due to safety concerns, or whether the area must be monitored to ensure the asbestos is not disturbed in a way that would cause the area to be hazardous. 
The removal process must be done within certain guidelines to maintain a safe environment.  Special bags must be used to hold the material, special transportation must be arranged, and taken to an area that has been specifically prepared for asbestos materials.  The different arrangements take time to setup and must be overseen by a professional.
The massive scope of materials that contain asbestos make the job of removing it a daunting process.  The universal usage and cheap cost made asbestos a highly attractive substance to use, but the hazardous nature completely outweighs any benefits that might be gained.  Serious illness that increases in severity as exposure increases have been documented in numerous studies. 
Contact a local Asbestos Inspector in your area to determine if asbestos is present in one of its many forms in your work environment.  It is especially important to have areas tested for asbestos during construction projects as each new surface could have the hazardous material.