Frequently Asked Questions

Why is asbestos dangerous?

Breathing in air containing asbestos fibres can lead to asbestos-related diseases, mainly cancers of the lungs and chest lining. Asbestos is only a risk to health if asbestos fibres are released into the air and breathed in.

Past exposure to asbestos currently kills 3,500 people a year in Great Britain. This number is expected to go on rising for the next ten years.

There is no cure for asbestos related diseases.

There is usually a long delay between first exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease. This can vary from 15 to 60 years. Only by preventing or minimising these exposures now, will asbestos related disease eventually be wiped out.

What does asbestos look like?

There are three main types of asbestos still found in premises. These are commonly referred to as:

Blue Asbestos (Crocidolite)
Brown Asbestos (Amosite)
White Asbestos (Chrysotile)

All of the main types of asbestos are dangerous, but “Blue” (Crocidolite) and “Brown” (Amosite) asbestos are more hazardous than “White” (Chrysotile). However, you can not identify them just by their colour as quite often the colours are not obvious and examination under a microscope is required to be completely sure. It is always better to treat ALL asbestos with the utmost care and attention, regardless of the suspected type fibre.

Although it is now illegal to use asbestos in the construction or refurbishment of any premises, many thousands of tons were used in the past, and much of it is still in place.

What are the risks of asbestos?

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 disturbed or damaged, it can become a danger to health, because fibres can be released into the air and people can breathe them in.

Anyone who uses your premises, be it a visitor, employee or maintenance personnel, can be at risk if they are exposed to where asbestos has deteriorated or has been damaged and is releasing fibres. In particular, anyone involved in drilling, sawing or cutting into the fabric of the building could be at risk.

The scientific evidence on exactly what exposures cause disease is unclear. But it is clear, that the more fibres breathed in the greater the risk to health. That is why it is important that Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM’s) are identified and that everyone who works with them should take appropriate precautions.

Where is asbestos found?

Some Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM’s) are more vulnerable to damage and more likely to give off fibres than others. In general, the higher the content of asbestos in any ACM, the more easily it is damaged.

The list below is a rough guide to the order in which material has the highest potential to release fibres:

· Asbestos used in loose packing material - generally used as fire breaks in ceiling voids

· Moulded or pre-formed lagging - generally used in thermal insulation of pipes and boilers

· Sprayed asbestos - used as fire protection in ducts, firebreaks, panels, partitions, boards, ceiling panels and around structural steel works

· Insulating boards - used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts

· Some ceiling tiles

· Millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment. Asbestos paper has also been used as a fire proof facing on wood fibre-board

· Asbestos cement products, which can be fully or semi-compressed into flat or corrugated sheets – largely used as roofing and wall cladding. Other products include gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks

· Certain textured coatings

· Bitumen roofing materials

· Vinyl or thermoplastic floor tiles

What do I need to do?

Take action now – even if all you have to do is co-operate with the duty holder. If you are a duty holder, you must:

· Find out whether your building contains asbestos, and what condition it is in
· Presume all materials contain asbestos unless you have strong evidence that they do not
· Record the location and condition of the materials on a plan or drawing
· Assess if the location or condition means the materials are likely to be disturbed
· Prepare and implement a plan to manage these risks

A survey alone is not sufficient to comply with the new requirements of the CAWR 2006 regulations so you need to ensure that you have an ongoing plan in place that ensures the constant protection of those people who visit, work within, and make changes to, your premises.