Safety while exploring!

Safety while exploring

@MidlandsUrbanEye

There are multiple reasons why this is highly important to recognise before exploring any abandoned locations, many people are unaware of the facts and end up hospitalised through gaining disease and injury. Some hazards are basically invisible and can be incurable. Here's a list of dangers and what they can cause:

• Asbestos - The worst of them all, This is a material used in old buildings which is highly toxic to humans, Exposure to this can be irreversible and take upto 20 years to affect you, Asbestos exposure can lead to life changing medical conditions including lung cancer and asbestosis
• Mould - Exposure to mould in abandoned buildings can be dangerous and lead to multiple health problems such as bleeding in the lung, although not particularly lethal, people can have allergic reactions to this which can cause more severe problems. 
• Bird droppings - Bird droppings can be allot more dangerous than you'd think, and is incredibly common in any derelict location, Breathing in fumes or coming into contact with this is severely dangerous as it can harbour some of 60 diseases.This includes Histoplasmosis which is known to be fatal, other diseases can affect the female vagina likewise to an STD and in anyone can seriously affect the nervous system.
• Nails, Glass & debris - Stepping or falling onto any of these can result in the contraction of diseases like tetanus which can be found in simple things like dust which most things in an abandoned location will be covered in, even if you cannot see it, if the nail is rusty it can lead to other serious health issues like infections. 
• Needles - Needles can be found in many places especially if its a medical facility, Or even open enough for drug users to enter, It does not matter what type of needle it is, Heroine or medical, coming into contact with it can be incredibly dangerous, Diseases such as HIV can be caught from simply stepping on or gaining a wound via a needle, which can be easy to do as needles can be hidden in anything such as carpets and dust. HIV is NOT curable so its a MUST to be on the constant lookout as HIV is not the only thing you can contract. 
• Gas - Gas is usually not visible to the human eye and therefore making it even more dangerous, any location can have loose gas from broken pipes to decaying gas canisters, even if you cannot see anything that could leak gas it is ALWAYS a possibility, Gas can be toxic to humans and with high exposure can even kill, It is also a huge fire hazard and can lead to explosions if exposed to fire, even from a lit cigarette, which means smoking while doing urbex is NOT recommended. 
• Other people - Not everyone goes to abandoned locations to carry out non hostile explorations, derelict locations often attract the attention of vandals, arsonists, drug users, homeless people, animals, and often local youths looking to cause some destruction. Although some people are non hostile, it is always recommended to try and explore while the location is empty, If a group of youths are messing around, and decide to light a fire and you're inside, you may not know until its too late, Not only that but sometimes people at abandoned sites can be hostile towards others, most homeless people are friendly but some can be hostile and territorial especially if its their only shelter. There are many risks in this area.
• Unstable flooring- This is always a danger, falling through the floor can lead to death or severe injury which is why its always best to explore in groups of at least three.

So now we know the dangers, lets discuss how to stay safe and avoid these things.

When it comes to asbestos the best thing to do is try not to disturb any debris, flooring, walls or ceilings and avoid dust at all costs, It is a MUST to wear a respiratory dust mask, try not to go for cheap simple dust masks as these won't protect you from fumes, The respiratory masks can help prevent inhalation of  toxins from mould, bird droppings and of course asbestos. 

Nails, glass and debris isn't always simple to avoid, but the best way to ensure you don't sustain injury is to ware cut proof gloves, thick clothing and hard cut proof boots/footwear, if you want to stay extra safe, wear googles and a hard hat which can also add extra safety in the even you come across unstable flooring.  

When it comes to gas, it's not really avoidable without gas masks, so just make sure you are fully aware of whats around you, and what type of location you are exploring, avoid causing any type of spark which includes lighters and smoking cigarettes.

Other people can be a grey area, while some people can be non hostile, you can never be sure about the intentions of other people at abandoned locations, Drug users are definitely to be kept well away from as under the influence of drugs people can turn incredibly violent, Homeless people are usually friendly as standard but not all, some can be incredibly territorial and lash out at the sight of other people. It isn't just youths it could be anyone exploring the same place as you that's got bad intentions, There's many derelict locations that get smashed up or burned down by vandals and arsonists, which means if there are other people there, breaking things, or causing trouble, its best to report it and stay away until you know the location is safe, some explorers have had rocks, glass and bricks lobbed at them by youths in a few locations we have explored, Others share their story about how they got caught in fires started by other people who were exploring a few floors below them in an abandoned warehouse. Unless you know the intentions of others, its important to be the mature individual or group and stay clear. 

When it comes to unstable flooring its always key to remain vigilant and tread carefully, even on the bottom floor, some places hide basements in which the entrance has been covered up. If a floor dips in, or feels unsafe, finding another more stable route is the best thing I can suggest. Hardhats and goggles are the best types of safety ware if you want to be sure you sustain minimal injury in the event you do fall victim to an unstable floor. Even substrate (the type of flooring) can affect how safe a place can be, if there floor is covered in debris, it holds the risk of falling, and if you do fall you could cut yourself on something sharp or seriously injure your head or anything else on blunt objects.  

One bit of extra advice I'd give is NEVER explore abandoned locations alone, always travel in groups of at LEAST three, and if its really impossible at the time, two, but NEVER by yourself, if you do come into hostile contact with other people or an animal and you sustain injury or get attacked, nobody will know that you need help, if you fall and become unconscious nobody would be there to get help, you could be left in a serious state or even a coma and tragically get discovered when its too late.