Asbestos

Asbestos

What is Asbestos?

If you own, occupy, manage or have responsibilities for non-domestic premises which may contain asbestos you have the legal duty to manage the risk from this deadly material.

There are three main types of asbestos these are commonly called ‘white asbestos’ (chrysotile), brown asbestos (amosite) and the most deadly blue asbestos (crocidolite). All of them are dangerous but blue and brown asbestos are more dangerous than white, but unfortunately you cannot identify them by their colour.

Although it is now illegal to use asbestos in the construction or refurbishment of any premises, many thousands of tonnes of it where used in the past and much of it is still in place. As long as it is in good condition and is not being or going to be disturbed or damaged there is no risk. But if it is damaged or disturbed it then can become a danger to health, because asbestos fibres are released into the air and people can inhale them in.

Up to 1,500,000 commercial, industrial and public buildings in the UK are likely to contain asbestos materials. Unless this material is properly managed anyone who has access to the buildings, including employees the public and building/maintenance workers are all at risk from breathing in the life threating fibres of asbestos.

Asbestos in our lives

Any Building constructed before 2000 is thought to contain ACM (Asbestos Containing Materials) of one type or another. They are found in schools, hospitals, factories, public buildings even domestic properties, so asbestos has sneaked into our lives, but largely unseen.

The properties and versatility of asbestos made it an excellent building material. As a good thermal insulator It has been used to lag pipes and protect structural steelwork. It is also an excellent electrical insulating material and its high tensile strength has been used to that strength to a wide range of other products such as gaskets. The long flexible fibres have been woven into cloth and rope used for fire protection and sealing of joints.

Add to all this the fact that it is highly resilient and does not degrade; it is not surprising it was used so widely. However unfortunately is can also be deadly! Large numbers of people are now dying from past exposure to asbestos and will continue to do so unless action is taken.

What is the health risks of asbestos?

Every week 20 tradesmen/women die from asbestos related disease. If you carry out work on a building that was built or refurbished before the year 2000, you could have been exposed to asbestos, without even knowing it.

Asbestos related diseases kill more people than any other single worker related illness. Asbestos can take 15 - 60 Years to develop and there is no cure. Asbestos related diseases are currently responsible for more than 4000 deaths a year in the UK and the number is still rising. Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in good condition and left undisturbed cannot cause Ill-health. The greater the disturbance of ACMs and the longer the duration, the greater the risk to your health. 
Contact Us
Share by: