If you are a tradesman or anyone else who may be exposed to it,
it is important for you to know what to do if you find asbestos.
Asbestos was used extensively in the construction industry until it was
finally banned in 1999. Therefore, there is a very good chance that it
is in many buildings that you may visit and may even be in your own
home.
There is no reason to panic if you suspect there may be asbestos in your home. The main danger of asbestos is in the handling of it. When asbestos is cut, drilled, broken or otherwise disturbed, it will release particles. These airborne particles are the real danger in asbestos. Left undisturbed, it is not dangerous.
If you suspect you have asbestos in your home or work premises and wish to carry out renovations or otherwise disturb asbestos, it is important that you find out if you have it, possibly through an Asbestos Survey. The first thing you need to know is where it may likely be. It is surprising the number of unlikely places where it was used.
In the home, asbestos may be present in your home in a number of places. Loose asbestos may be present in the insulation in a home. This would be particularly dangerous, because it is capable of being easily disturbed. Less dangerous, but still noteworthy are a number of other locations.
Typical places where asbestos may be found are in water tanks that were made before 1980 and in textured coatings on the ceilings of homes and sometimes on the walls, Because these are sealed, they are not dangerous, but they should be identified, lest someone inadvertently tries to sand back the texturing, does extensive work on the ceiling or attempts to remove it.
Other home items may also contain asbestos. Fuse boxes and heater cupboards often contain asbestos, for instance. You may also find it in toilet cisterns, which sometimes contain asbestos reinforcement in their composite materials. Thermoplastic and vinyl floors often contain asbestos, as does the tile backing, which may have asbestos paper.
If you suspect that you have asbestos, the only way that you will know for sure is by having it tested. There are many urban myths surrounding asbestos. Some say you can tell by the grey colour, but that is not by any means necessarily the case. Others say you can tell by the taste of it, but that is also not true. It can only be identified with a laboratory test. This means that you should not proceed with any work until you know for sure that you are not going to be disturbing asbestos.
There are some common jobs that can be carried out without using contractors who are licensed to handle asbestos. These include tasks of short duration, such as drilling a hole in a wall. What to do if you find asbestos in your home or even suspect that you have it, is to leave it as undisturbed as possible until you know for certain whether or not it is asbestos.
Contacting a dedicated Asbestos Company, who can provide you with an Asbestos Survey will allow you to ensure that any suspicious materials can be dealt with appropriately and if needs be, removed.
There is no reason to panic if you suspect there may be asbestos in your home. The main danger of asbestos is in the handling of it. When asbestos is cut, drilled, broken or otherwise disturbed, it will release particles. These airborne particles are the real danger in asbestos. Left undisturbed, it is not dangerous.
If you suspect you have asbestos in your home or work premises and wish to carry out renovations or otherwise disturb asbestos, it is important that you find out if you have it, possibly through an Asbestos Survey. The first thing you need to know is where it may likely be. It is surprising the number of unlikely places where it was used.
In the home, asbestos may be present in your home in a number of places. Loose asbestos may be present in the insulation in a home. This would be particularly dangerous, because it is capable of being easily disturbed. Less dangerous, but still noteworthy are a number of other locations.
Typical places where asbestos may be found are in water tanks that were made before 1980 and in textured coatings on the ceilings of homes and sometimes on the walls, Because these are sealed, they are not dangerous, but they should be identified, lest someone inadvertently tries to sand back the texturing, does extensive work on the ceiling or attempts to remove it.
Other home items may also contain asbestos. Fuse boxes and heater cupboards often contain asbestos, for instance. You may also find it in toilet cisterns, which sometimes contain asbestos reinforcement in their composite materials. Thermoplastic and vinyl floors often contain asbestos, as does the tile backing, which may have asbestos paper.
If you suspect that you have asbestos, the only way that you will know for sure is by having it tested. There are many urban myths surrounding asbestos. Some say you can tell by the grey colour, but that is not by any means necessarily the case. Others say you can tell by the taste of it, but that is also not true. It can only be identified with a laboratory test. This means that you should not proceed with any work until you know for sure that you are not going to be disturbing asbestos.
There are some common jobs that can be carried out without using contractors who are licensed to handle asbestos. These include tasks of short duration, such as drilling a hole in a wall. What to do if you find asbestos in your home or even suspect that you have it, is to leave it as undisturbed as possible until you know for certain whether or not it is asbestos.
Contacting a dedicated Asbestos Company, who can provide you with an Asbestos Survey will allow you to ensure that any suspicious materials can be dealt with appropriately and if needs be, removed.
Jason Stallard
Online Marketing Manager
Santia
Asbestos Services
Our team of experts will work with you to provide a highly effective solution to enable you to comply with the law, keep your employees safe and to manage risks either in-situ or removal to a licensed disposal site. The consultancy employs a large number of qualified asbestos surveyors and consultants operating across the UK, so we have the coverage, capability and expertise to deliver services on a national scale.
Online Marketing Manager
Santia
Asbestos Services
Our team of experts will work with you to provide a highly effective solution to enable you to comply with the law, keep your employees safe and to manage risks either in-situ or removal to a licensed disposal site. The consultancy employs a large number of qualified asbestos surveyors and consultants operating across the UK, so we have the coverage, capability and expertise to deliver services on a national scale.