Asbestos

If asbestos containing materials are disturbed or damaged, the fibres can be released into the air and breathed in. There is no cure for asbestos related diseases.

But if asbestos is in good condition and is not disturbed, it presents no risk.

Asbestos containing materials are not likely to be found in new buildings, because certain types of asbestos were banned in 1985.

Common uses of asbestos include:

• Insulating board used for fire protection and thermal insulation
• Asbestos cement products - for example corrugated roofs
• Gutters, rainwater pipes.

If you are an employee you have a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to prevent the exposure to asbestos.

There is a further new duty under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002, which requires those in charge of premises to manage the risk from asbestos.

We don't have any involvement in asbestos sampling or removal - but we can offer you advice that might help.

If you are a private tenant, contact your landlord.

Private owners should employ a licensed contractor to inspect and, if necessary, remove the asbestos: Llep Asbestos Advice (Word Document, 0.1 Mb).

A full list of licensed contractors can be found by visiting the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) asbestos website.

Asbestos and fire clean-up − precautions

When houses and buildings burn, asbestos fibers can become airborne - creating a potentially hazardous situation.

• Handling materials that contain asbestos can be hazardous to your health
• Typically clean-up of asbestos-containing materials is done by trained professionals with proper safety equipment.  A full list of licensed contractors can be found by visiting the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) asbestos website
• Many buildings constructed before 1981 have asbestos-containing materials. Buildings constructed after 1981 will have less of these materials. But burning of even relatively smaller amounts of these materials may release asbestos fibres into the air. 

The only way to determine if asbestos is present in a burned-out area is to have a certified asbestos consultant test the material.