Anthony LaFaziaCEO, Atlantic Training · CEO at Atlantic Training | EdTech & Safety Compliance Leader

Hidden Hazards in Infrastructure: Identifying Asbestos and Lead in Older Buildings

11 May 2026 · 2 min

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2:07

In this instructional safety talk, the speaker warns facilities staff and building maintenance workers about hidden health hazards in older buildings, focusing on lead-based paint and asbestos-containing materials. Two key construction cut‑off dates are highlighted: any building constructed before 1978 may contain lead‑based paint, and any built before 1980 likely includes asbestos. The speaker explains that many older 9‑inch vinyl floor tiles and the adhesives used with them contain asbestos, which is harmless when intact but becomes a serious inhalation risk if the tiles are ground, buffed, or stripped, releasing microscopic fibers that can damage lung tissue. Similar risks exist with asbestos‑laden insulation, textured paints, and deteriorating pipe insulation or peeling paint. The talk stresses that only qualified, certified professionals should test or disturb suspect materials; untrained staff should merely report any suspected asbestos or lead hazards. Safe cleaning practices are recommended: wet mopping is generally safe, whereas dry sweeping or aggressive floor‑care methods on unknown or deteriorating materials are prohibited. The overall message is a precautionary, “stop‑and‑ask” approach to protect workers from long‑term health effects.

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Great. So we talked about protecting your body from the work, but sometimes the danger is the building itself. If you work in an older facility, you need to have a sharper eye for building materials. Specifically, we look for two dates: 1978 and 1980. For buildings built before 1978, we have to assume lead-based paint may be present. And for buildings built before 1980, there's a significant chance that asbestos-containing materials were used. So why does this matter to facilities staff? Because of floor care and general wear and tear. Many older vinyl floor tiles, specifically those classic 9-inch by 9-inch tiles, contain asbestos. Even the glue had it in them. It's perfectly safe to walk on them, but if you take a high-speed buffer to them or you use an aggressive stripping pad, you can grind that tile into dust. That dust gets into your lungs and stays there forever. Or actually, it pokes tiny holes in your lung tissue as it travels through. Ouch. So, before you strip or buff a floor in an older section of the building, ask your supervisor, "Has this flooring been tested?" If the answer is "we don't know," then you stop. And it's not just tiles. Insulation, textured paints—we used asbestos everywhere. Only qualified professionals should test or disturb suspect materials. Unless you're certified for the task, Your job's to report it, not to sample it. Same goes for paint. If you see a crumbling pipe insulation or peeling paint in a pre-1978 stairwell, report it immediately. Wet mopping's usually safe, but dry sweeping crumbling debris in an old building's a risk that you just don't need to take.