April 1st, 2008

Asbestos was found as a potato chip fryer was removed from a product plant in Tennessee this week. The material appeared to be secure, and did not pose any type of health threat to plant workers.

While removing an industrial-sized potato ship fryer, workers at a Tennessee product plant uncovered asbestos beneath a metal flooring cover. The material was not the type that breaks apart into airborne particles, and will be resealed beneath a new metal plate. The asbestos appears to have been installed as a fire retardant under the fryer in case of an accident with the industrial machine. Other fryers have been removed in the past, but no asbestos was found when they were taken out; any fryers to be removed in the future will be noted that asbestos may be present in the flooring under the machine.

Asbestos was widely used as a fire resistant material, as well as being used for other industrial purposes like sealants, insulation and for some car parts. Asbestos is not usually a danger unless it is friable, a situation where the asbestos can easily break apart and become airborne. Breathing in airborne asbestos particles has been linked to a deadly form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma can take years to diagnose, and is often fatal when found.