About Us
We provide a resource for homes/families to learn how to safely work around asbestos used in the construction of our homes throughout this country and the world. We live with asbestos. There is no safe limit of exposure so, let us show you how to stay safe
in your home when it comes to locating and dealing with asbestos.
The process is the same for all hazards we live with.
What I've Learned
Over the course of my life (57 years) I've learned that even I can offer suggestions and that my input does matter. When I know something is wrong, I feel like it is my duty to call attention to it and try to fix it. I guess that's my Navy training and the lessons learned while solving problems with so many great shipmates. I was blessed to serve for 13 years and worked with hundreds of outstanding young men and woman. My last tour of duty, I was an instructor teaching hydraulic and structural systems on the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Health issues with the ticker ended that chapter but not without imparted wisdom. I am a disabled veteran.
The U.S. Postal Service hires Vet's...
I was very fortunate to have been hired by the Postals Service after working for Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico for two years (I loved it). After about two years I worked my way into management and Plant Safety Specialist that gave me an opportunity to learn about many work-place hazards and how to identify hazards as well as unsafe work methods. Training is always the answer to removing the ignorance or lack of knowledge that leads to accidents. I learned that when you care about people you can make a difference. The heart issues ended that carrier as well but not without many lessons learned.
Why Asbestos?
Asbestos killed my father Johnny O. Perea. He died on April 6, 2001 from his exposures resulting in mesothelioma. He was a Carpenter for over 50 years. He installed asbestos containing materials in homes and businesses in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Texas. No-one has removed any of it without exposing themselves as well and they don't even know its there. That's a problem.
Asbestos is not regulated in homes and therefor residents have been left out of the information loop. As a Safety Specialist, asbestos kept coming up because of a misunderstanding of what abatement means. Abatement is to stop or abate the hazard, Not removal in many cases. It could be as simple as encapsulation using a fresh coat of paint. As long as the exposure issue is dealt with, you can call it abated. I management plan is required and you can ether sample all know materials or you can assume they are asbestos and use appropriate wet work methods. The plant was in compliance with OSHA and EPA regulatory requirements to manage asbestos. Part of my job was to ensure we protected employees from the (over 40 year) highly regulated hazard. We came close to two major asbestos fiber release incidents while I was in charge of the safety programs. I can only imagine how many subsequent issues have come-up. The facility has lots of asbestos not unlike most, if not all per 1980 construction. Homes are not regulated and that is what I am trying to address through education. We target High Schoolers before they enter the work-force where they may or may not receive information about asbestos. I have been talking to the public since 2005 through Health Fairs and community outreach and I know that people have been misinformed to say the least. In fact, most people have no idea that we still consume asbestos in America. President Obama did recently sign a Toxic Substance Control Act (reform) Bill that finally gives EPA the ability to ban asbestos but as of this message it is still in many products including Car Brakes and DAP Crack Shot Spackling Compound to name a few. I talk about many hazards in my lesson "Living With Asbestos" but i focus on asbestos because of what epidemiologist and the World Health Organization as well as so many others health and safety experts say. We can't just remove all of the over 3,000 products that have been used over the past years. Education and prevention is the only realistic approach and the longer we wait the more people will be exposed and the cancers will continue. I think we can change that!
in your home when it comes to locating and dealing with asbestos.
The process is the same for all hazards we live with.
What I've Learned
Over the course of my life (57 years) I've learned that even I can offer suggestions and that my input does matter. When I know something is wrong, I feel like it is my duty to call attention to it and try to fix it. I guess that's my Navy training and the lessons learned while solving problems with so many great shipmates. I was blessed to serve for 13 years and worked with hundreds of outstanding young men and woman. My last tour of duty, I was an instructor teaching hydraulic and structural systems on the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Health issues with the ticker ended that chapter but not without imparted wisdom. I am a disabled veteran.
The U.S. Postal Service hires Vet's...
I was very fortunate to have been hired by the Postals Service after working for Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico for two years (I loved it). After about two years I worked my way into management and Plant Safety Specialist that gave me an opportunity to learn about many work-place hazards and how to identify hazards as well as unsafe work methods. Training is always the answer to removing the ignorance or lack of knowledge that leads to accidents. I learned that when you care about people you can make a difference. The heart issues ended that carrier as well but not without many lessons learned.
Why Asbestos?
Asbestos killed my father Johnny O. Perea. He died on April 6, 2001 from his exposures resulting in mesothelioma. He was a Carpenter for over 50 years. He installed asbestos containing materials in homes and businesses in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Texas. No-one has removed any of it without exposing themselves as well and they don't even know its there. That's a problem.
Asbestos is not regulated in homes and therefor residents have been left out of the information loop. As a Safety Specialist, asbestos kept coming up because of a misunderstanding of what abatement means. Abatement is to stop or abate the hazard, Not removal in many cases. It could be as simple as encapsulation using a fresh coat of paint. As long as the exposure issue is dealt with, you can call it abated. I management plan is required and you can ether sample all know materials or you can assume they are asbestos and use appropriate wet work methods. The plant was in compliance with OSHA and EPA regulatory requirements to manage asbestos. Part of my job was to ensure we protected employees from the (over 40 year) highly regulated hazard. We came close to two major asbestos fiber release incidents while I was in charge of the safety programs. I can only imagine how many subsequent issues have come-up. The facility has lots of asbestos not unlike most, if not all per 1980 construction. Homes are not regulated and that is what I am trying to address through education. We target High Schoolers before they enter the work-force where they may or may not receive information about asbestos. I have been talking to the public since 2005 through Health Fairs and community outreach and I know that people have been misinformed to say the least. In fact, most people have no idea that we still consume asbestos in America. President Obama did recently sign a Toxic Substance Control Act (reform) Bill that finally gives EPA the ability to ban asbestos but as of this message it is still in many products including Car Brakes and DAP Crack Shot Spackling Compound to name a few. I talk about many hazards in my lesson "Living With Asbestos" but i focus on asbestos because of what epidemiologist and the World Health Organization as well as so many others health and safety experts say. We can't just remove all of the over 3,000 products that have been used over the past years. Education and prevention is the only realistic approach and the longer we wait the more people will be exposed and the cancers will continue. I think we can change that!
