I was once the safety manager for an MSO and addressed this same question. Drilling a hole through asbestos siding, even if you drilled thousands of them, will not cause any health problems. Asbestos is only dangerous if it is "friable". Friable meaning reduced to a fine powder, and even then it is only dangerous in large quantities over long periods of time. People who developed mesothelioma are workers who were invloved in the manufacture or installation of asbestos, and then only when it was in powder form. They were exposed to hundreds of pounds of fiable asbestos over a period of years.
To make everyone feel better about incidental exposure to a minute amount of asbestos, you can either spray Windex on it before you drill through it, or put a ball of shaving cream on it first.
This being said, if you are asked to do something that you feel is dangerous, simply don't do it and report it to your supervisor.
Re: Asbestos Siding
Member #: 36232
Registered: 2/16/2005
Posted:
218
Name:
Rob
Occupation:
Engineer
Location:
Sunny Florida
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