Q) What is asbestos?

A) Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral. This has been used in a variety of products over hundreds of years, literally from back in the Roman Times. Romans used it to coat their clay pots for cooking, thus insuring that the clay would not break under intense oven heat and become reusable.

Q) Where can asbestos be found?

A) It is commonly found throughout the world in countries such as Africa, Canada, Russia, USA and China.

Countries such as Russia have to use asbestos material products based on the fact that their large over-ground heating pipes have to be coated in something that is virtually indestructible, Asbestos fits the bill! Weather resistant and able to withstand temperatures of minus 40c.

Q) What were its uses?

A) Between the 1950’s-1980’s asbestos was used substantially within the construction industry in large quantities of building projects and building materials. Over 3000 building products contained asbestos material fibres.

The Reasons: Asbestos is virtually indestructible, heat resistant, mainly chemical resistant, impervious to weather, resistant to electricity, will not rot nor burn.

It can be woven into mats, fabrics and the like, asbestos fibres can be mixed into all sorts of building products such as cement products, giving them strength and durability including all the other aforementioned property factors. It’s highly desirable tensile strength and ability to withstand acid, vermin and weather made it the ‘miracle’ product of the century. Kings, Queens and gentry would use woven asbestos cloths as napkins for use at the dining table and simply throw them into a fire to clean the napkins ready for reuse.

Q) Where am I likely to find it in my building?

A) In a typical house built circa 1960 untouched, the likelihood of finding ACM’S (asbestos containing materials) is very high. You would expect to find it in the ceilings, possibly the wall linings, coating the pipe-work in the loft, under the floors and through the walls, the floor cover (tiles), under the kitchen sink (used as a heat pad), in the electrical service consumer unit (flash/fuse guards), on the outhouse/shed roof, in the garage (ceiling covering/or roof), the soffits, under the roof tiled eaves and even in the textured coated wall and ceiling plaster.

Click here to see a diagram of the typical locations in a building for the most common asbestos-containing materials

Q) What are the dangers of disturbing ACM (asbestos containing material)?

A) Unless properly trained and qualified you should never deal with disturbed ACM, you must treat it with the upmost respect and call a professional for advice immediately. Not all dangerous situations are as hazardous as you first believe, but call a competent contractor such as ADL for advice and let us guide you through the risk.

Q) What are the risks and dangers associated with asbestos?

A) All forms of asbestos are dangerous and can contribute to fatal or serious illnesses, some of which there are no cures. Entry to the body is predominantly through inhalation as skin penetration is not possible, ingestion is normally dealt with by the body naturally however asbestos fibres that are inhaled into the lower parts of your lungs can lay there for years but will eventually work their way into your lung inner linings. The principle asbestos related diseases are that of: Asbestosis (fibrosis), scarring of the lungs, leading to possible Mesothelioma, this is a cancer of the inner lining of the chest wall or abdominal cavity; lung cancer and diffuse pleural thickening-a non-malignant disease in which the lining of the lung (pleura) becomes permanently scarred.

Click here to see an article on asbestos and what it can do to you.

Q) Statistically how many people die from asbestos related diseases?

A) Statistically the government lead HSE (Health & Safety Executive) team has collated enough data to advise us that approximately between: 3500-4000 people are dying from asbestos related diseases annually, this is not a global figure but limited to the United Kingdom alone!! This figure is also likely to rise dramatically by the end of the decade, purely because of the gestation period anomaly; it can take between 10-60 years to gestate, therefore the symptoms will only become apparent when fully developed and often at an incurable stage.

Q) Is it safe to leave asbestos undisturbed?

A) Perfectly, if left undisturbed and managed asbestos is perfectly safe, provided it is correctly sealed, in good condition and not likely to be damaged in any way. Placing an effective management plan into action is the safest way to deal with this situation and ADL actively endorse containment and encapsulation based on the fact that when left undisturbed and managed the less the risk becomes of exposure to asbestos fibres. Nevertheless where any project involves removing asbestos it should be undertaken with complete awareness and precise controls at all times. Any contractor undertaking work in a building should always consider the possibility of asbestos materials being present and undertake an Asbestos Survey prior to any refurbishment work progress.

Q) What duties to I have to adhere to in relation to managing asbestos?

A) Regulation 4 of the ‘Duty to Manage’ Asbestos in non-domestic buildings clearly defines your roles and responsibilities. The duty holder; landlords, lessees, owners, managing agents, employers etc are required to;

1. Take reasonable steps to find materials in premises likely to contain asbestos and to check their condition.

2. Presume that materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence to suppose they do not.

3. Make a written record of the location and condition of asbestos and presumed-containing materials (ACMs) and keep the record up to date.

4. Access the risk of the likelihood of anyone being exposed to these materials

5. Prepare a plan to manage that risk and put it into effect to ensure that:

• Any material known or presumed to contain asbestos is kept in a good state of repair
• Any material that contains or is presumed to contain asbestos which is either damaged or in a location where it is likely to become damaged should be repaired to prevent the further escape of fibres or if necessary removed
• Keep a record of the information on the location and condition of the material and give freely this information to anyone potentially at risk to fibre exposure: principally contractors or maintenance engineers whom are likely to carry out works that may involve disturbing the materials and thus releasing asbestos fibres.

In other words commission a competent contractor to carry out an Asbestos Survey Report, and put into place an effective management plan that will action all relevant legislation guides accordingly.

Q) Where do I get the most professional advice for dealing with asbestos related matters?

A) Obviously we at ADL LTD are here to promote ourselves and are also keen to protect both the environment and clients alike. You should begin your search for a suitable licensed contractor on the HSE web site, contact regulated bodies, take into account accreditation and look to have pre-start contact meetings face to face.

ADL offer free no obligation quotations, advice and consultancy, as well as qualified, experienced management personnel.