Asbestos Removal
Asbestos has been extensively used over many years in materials for construction, refurbishment, decoration and finishes for buildings, lagging and insulation and in vinyl’s and thermoplastics.
Although its use has been banned in the UK for some time, much of this material is still in place.
In general, material that is in good condition and is not (or going to be) disturbed or damaged, does not present a significant risk. But if the material should be damaged or disturbed during maintenance, construction, or by accident, it can present a health hazard.
It is for this reason that any possible ‘Asbestos Containing Materials’ (ACM’s) that may be present in or on the building are identified and adequately controlled, such that the hazards are not realised.
Building materials containing asbestos were widely used from 1930 to around 1980, particularly from the 1960’s onwards. So houses and flats built or refurbished at this time may contain asbestos materials.
Asbestos can be found in many types of building as profiled sheets for roofing and wall-cladding, in flat sheets and partition boards for linings to walls and ceilings, in bath panels, soffit boards, fire surrounds, flue pipes, cold water tanks and as roofing tiles and slates. It has been commonly used as roofing and cladding for garages and sheds and also in guttering and drainpipes.
Asbestos lagging has also been used for thermal insulation of pipes and boilers. It was widely used in public buildings and system-built flats during the 1960s to early 1970s in areas such as boiler houses and heating plants
If you suspect that a material might contain asbestos, do not carry out work on it but seek expert advice as disturbing or damaging the material can cause high, short-term exposures to asbestos fibres.