All About Asbestos

Where is asbestos found, what it is, why it's dangerous and what if you find it in your property

ASBESTOS WHERE IT CAN BE FOUND

Asbestos was used extensively in the building and construction industries from the 1930’s up until the 1980’s where upon it was gradually phased out. It was most heavily used during the 60’s and 70’s. Some of the most common types of product are listed below

Domestic Boilers and Airing Cupboards

Large Kitchen Appliances

Panels Behind Radiators

Heat Shield Panels

Pipework and Boiler Insulation

Roof Sheets and External Cladding

Pipe Insulation

Sprayed Lagging on Structural Beams

Textured Wall and Ceiling Coatings

Roof Tiles

Wall and Ceiling Panels

Window Sills

Under Cloaks and Soffits

Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) – ceiling tiles, partition walls, soffits, service duct covers, fire breaks, heater cupboards, door panels, lift shaft linings, fire surrounds, etc.
Asbestos Cement (AC) – roof sheeting, wall cladding, walls and ceilings, bath panels, boiler and incinerator flues, fire surrounds, gutters, rainwater pipes, water tanks, etc.
Insulation – on pipework, boilers, calorifiers, heat exchangers, insulating jackets for cold water tanks, hot water cylinders, etc.
Loose Packing – between floors and partition walls.
Sprayed “Limpet” fire insulation – on structural beams and girders.
Other Products – Floor tiles, mastics, sealants, textured decorative coatings (such as artex), rope seals, gaskets (eg. Pipework), millboards, paper products, fire doors, cloth (eg. Fire blankets, gloves), Bituminous products (roofing felt)

It is important to remember – the extent to how dangerous the Asbestos is depends on the type of Asbestos, the type of material that it is found in, the condition of the material and how likely the material is to be disturbed.

WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT DANGEROUS

REMEMBER

It is important to identify all accessible Asbestos containing materials to assess the risks
Avoid disturbing or damaging Asbestos materials
Avoid creating Asbestos dust
Avoid breathing in Asbestos dust
If you have damaged or deteriorating Asbestos materials in your home or work place then contact us for advice on what to do

IF IN ANY DOUBT SEEK ADVICE

HAVE YOU A QUESTION ABOUT ASBESTOS?

ASBESTOS

What is Asbestos? – Asbestos is the name used for a range of natural minerals. There
are three main types (although Asbestos cannot be identified by its colour alone)

White (Chrysotile) Asbestos

Brown (Amosite) Asbestos

Blue (Crocidolite) Asbestos

Raw Asbestos

Abestos Mining In Russia

Why is it dangerous? – Asbestos is made up of thin fibres. These can be broken down further into smaller and thinner fibres. The smallest of which cannot be seen with the naked eye but can be inhaled. All Asbestos types are only dangerous if made airborne and inhaled.
The fibres that are inhaled can become stuck in the lungs and potentially damage them. This damage can manifest itself as lung scarring (asbestosis) or as various cancers. These diseases can take from 15 to 60 years to develop and there is no cure for any of them.
The mineral has several desirable qualities which include durability, strength, weatherproof resistance, chemical resistance and heat resistance. For this reason, Asbestos has been used in the past in a wide variety of different products, many of which have been used on buildings and in the Construction Industry. All types of Asbestos can be dangerous.

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