…..the inspection, identification and testing of asbestos is a
specialist activity which is shrouded in a wide range of policies and
procedures written into legislation. It
is therefore imperative that specialist advice is sought where there is a
possibility of the existence and/or discovery of asbestos or asbestos
containing products or components in buildings
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| Source: http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/ |
Over the last few weeks I have introduced asbestos and in particular its
extensive use in UK construction. In Part 1 (link) I discussed the health risks associated with being exposed to
asbestos fibres and subsequently why asbestos is no longer used in UK
construction. I also explained that asbestos containing products/components in
buildings only becomes a problem if they are disturbed or become damaged and
that there is no need to panic if asbestos containing products/components are
discovered in buildings. In last week’s article (link) I went onto explain that
asbestos is not easy to identify, even for the trained eye as it is often
concealed or decorated, making it difficult to differentiate from other
building products/components. I finally gave some examples of the wide use of
asbestos cement in UK construction with some images of its typical uses. In the final part of this three part article
I will gives some examples of the wider uses of asbestos containing products
and components in buildings, some of which you may find surprising.
It is first worth re-emphasising that the inspection, identification and
testing of asbestos is a specialist activity which is shrouded in a wide range
of policies and procedures written into legislation. It is therefore imperative that specialist
advice is sought where there is a possibility of the existence and/or discovery
of asbestos or asbestos containing products or components in buildings.
Textured
Coatings – used as a finish onto ceilings or wall surfaces
to give a decorative appearance. Textured coatings that may contain asbestos
are difficult to identify from a visual inspection, as many have been painted over.
The asbestos fibres are held in place within the coating and are not easily
released unless sanded down, or during removal.
Floor
tiles, textiles and Composites – You may be
surprised to learn that asbestos can be found in PVC floor tiles. Discovery is
often further complicated as these types of floor tiles are often covered
over with newer floor coverings.
As previously discussed in Part 1, asbestos is an extremely flexible
material as such it could be woven and spun, allowing it to be used for
products such as fire blankets as well as textiles within electrical fuse boxes
which allowed additional fire protection behind the actual fuses.
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Electrical fuses - Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/
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Asbestos composites allowed asbestos to be used for a variety of products
for which typical examples are toilet cisterns and seats, window sills, and
bath panels. These are products that many people do not readily associate with
asbestos.
Spray
Coatings - often found as insulation on the underside of
roofs and sometimes on the sides of buildings and also used as fire protection
on steel beams/columns as well as on the underside of separating floors. Identification
of suspected asbestos containing spray coatings is usually made with the presence of a rough
surface, white or grey in colour, although painting of a spray coating can make
this more difficult to identify. Some spray coatings can contain up to 85%
asbestos. When this is added to the fact
that spray coatings can be very friable (break up easily), this use is one of
the most dangerous asbestos containing products found in buildings.
Asbestos
Insulating Board (AIB) – Can be found in a number of
different locations within a building as it was used for a variety of fire proofing applications. AIB can therefore be found as ceiling panels/tiles, soffit boards, partition walls,
lift shaft linings, panels within fire doors amongst other applications.
Lagging and Insulation – Mostly found as insulation around heating
pipework and has many different appearances, which is commonly a fibrous
material that can break up easily. When applied to pipes it is often covered with
a protective coating, which can be a variety of different colours that
sometimes makes it difficult to identify. As with spray coatings, this is a
particularly dangerous form of asbestos.
Loose
Fill Asbestos – used as insulation and found in cavity walls, in
floors and loft spaces. Due to its loose nature this is possibly the most
dangerous form of asbestos used in buildings.
Its appearance is blue/grey in colour or sometimes off white and is
often made of pure asbestos. Although
much of this form of asbestos has now been removed it is still likely to be
discovered and should only be inspected and dealt with by a specialist wearing
and using the correct protective equipment.
The information and images discussed above and within last week’s article
provide some typical examples of the use and identification of asbestos
containing materials and components within buildings. Please bear in mind that the examples
provided are far from exhaustive and asbestos can be found in numerous other
locations within buildings. Having said
this I hope these articles have provided a good introduction to asbestos is
buildings.
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How do you locate a surveyor who could advise on this. All the local traders seem to be those who remove asbestos and therefore have an invested interested.
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