Asbestos materials were used in construction up until 1999, therefore homes built or refurbished before this date could contain asbestos. The most common types of asbestos found in the home include asbestos cement (bath panels, ceiling and wall panels fascias and soffits), floor tiles, toilet cisterns and lining of boiler cupboards. Lining of boiler cupboards and airing cupboards may also contain Asbestos Insulation Board. This is a high-risk product and should not be removed or worked on without seeking professional advice. Fortunately asbestos was made illegal after the late 90s so any home built after this time should not contain asbestos.
FAQ’s
Q: I have just bought a property. Could it contain asbestos?
A: Asbestos was a widely used material within commercial buildings, homes and machinery until 1999 when it was banned. This means that asbestos is common in buildings built before this time. If your house is built after the year 2000 it should NOT contain asbestos.
Q: Where can asbestos be found in buildings built before 1999?
A: Asbestos can typically still be found in any of the following:
- asbestos cement products (pipes, flues, roofs etc)
- lagging (on pipes and boilers etc)
- water tanks and toilet cisterns
- Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB – which closely resembles typical plasterboard)
- loose asbestos in ceiling and wall cavities
- sprayed coatings on ceilings, walls and beams / columns
- textured decorative coatings (commonly referred to as Artex)
- floor tiles
- textiles and composites
The Health and Safety Executive offers an asbestos image gallery providing real photographs of typical asbestos-containing materials that can still be found today.
Q:I think I may have asbestos in my home. What should I do?
A: Asbestos containing materials in good condition are NOT a health risk and should be left alone. You should check the condition of the materials from time to time to make sure they haven’t been damaged or started to deteriorate.
Do not try to repair or remove any asbestos materials yourself if you have not had any training for non-licensed asbestos work. Some materials (sprayed asbestos coatings, asbestos lagging / insulation or asbestos insulating board) should only be removed by a contractor licensed by the Health and Safety Executive. You can seek advice from an environmental health officer at your local council.
Q: I am hiring a tradesperson to carry out work on my property, will they know how to deal with asbestos?
A: You should not automatically assume that they do. If you are hiring any tradesperson to carry out work on your property you should always make them aware that your home contains asbestos and check that they have the necessary training to carry out work safely. Contact the British Lung Foundation’s Helpline for advice on 03000 030 555.
Q: I am doing DIY on my house. How do I protect myself against asbestos exposure?
If you plan to carry out DIY repairs then make sure you consider where asbestos might be present in your house before starting the work. If there is any chance that you might disturb asbestos containing materials then you should contact a reputable licensed contractor to dispose or handle it properly. Visit the Health and Safety Executive’s website for further advice. http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/building.htm
Q: Should I remove asbestos from my home?
A: Asbestos containing materials in good condition are NOT a health risk and should be left alone. You should check the condition of the materials from time to time to make sure they haven’t been damaged or started to deteriorate. If you would like advice about what to do call the BLF Helpline on 03000 030 555.
Q: What type of asbestos containing materials are most hazardous?
A: All asbestos-containing materials are hazardous and need to be managed appropriately. Some materials are higher risk because of the amount of asbestos they contain and the ease by which asbestos fibres can be released. These include sprayed asbestos coatings, asbestos insulation, asbestos lagging and Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB). The removal of these materials should only be carried out by a licensed contractor. Visit the Health and Safety Executive’s website for further advice.
Q: How should I dispose of asbestos waste?
A: Asbestos waste describes any asbestos products or materials that are ready to be disposed. This includes any contaminated building materials, dust, rubble, used tools that cannot be decontaminated, disposable PPE (personal protective equipment) and damp rags that have been used for cleaning. Asbestos waste must be placed in suitable packaging to prevent any fibres being released. This should be double wrapped and appropriately labelled.
Intact asbestos cement sheets and textured coatings that are firmly attached to a board should not be broken up into smaller pieces. These should instead be carefully double wrapped in suitable polythene sheeting and labelled.
Asbestos waste should only be handled by a licensed disposal site. Your local council can provide details of these for you. It also needs to be transported to these sites in suitable containers that prevent the release of any asbestos fibres while in transit.
If you disturb asbestos in your home do not use a domestic vacuum cleaner as dust may pass through the filter – hire a special (Class H) industrial vacuum cleaner that complies with British Standards – A search under ‘asbestos safety equipment hire’ on the internet should identify several suppliers in your area.
Remember. Do not put asbestos waste in the dustbin – if you are unsure seek advice from the council about how to safely dispose of it.
Q: What are the health risks from asbestos?
A: Asbestos is responsible for over 4000 deaths every year. Younger people, if routinely exposed to asbestos fibres over time, are at greater risk of developing asbestos-related diseases than older workers. This is due to the time it takes for the body to develop symptoms after exposure to asbestos.
Exposure to asbestos can cause the incurable lung disease mesothelioma. This lung disease is a form of cancer in the lining of the lungs. It is always fatal and is almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos. Exposure to asbestos can also cause lung cancer and asbestosis among other diseases.
It can take anywhere between 15–60 years for any symptoms to develop after exposure, so the disease will not affect you immediately but may do later in life. You need to start protecting yourself against any exposure to asbestos now because the effect is cumulative.
The majority of the current fatal cases from asbestos exposure are associated with very high exposures from past industrial processes and installation of asbestos products. However, people should still be aware of asbestos when doing DIY in their homes.
Q: I may have been exposed to asbestos. What should I do?
A: If you are concerned about possible exposure to asbestos you can contact the British Lung Foundation’s Helpline on 03000 030 555. You should also consult your GP and ask for a note to be made in your personal record about possible exposure, including date(s), duration, type of asbestos and likely exposure levels (if known). In some circumstances, your GP may refer you to a specialist in respiratory medicine. Asbestos-related damage to the lungs takes years to develop and become visible on chest X-rays. An x-ray cannot indicate whether or not asbestos fibres have been inhaled.
