Asbestos Exposure: Common Locations and Who Is Affected
Asbestos is a fibrous silicate mineral that can still be found in thousands of residential or industrial buildings that were refurbished before the year 2000.
Found in many common building materials, asbestos affects a large proportion of those working in the construction industry as well as those living in contaminated properties full-time. The substance can be easily disguised by spray coatings, boards, or other fabrics, and therefore can be extremely difficult to identify in residential properties.
In today’s post, we will be taking a look at the more common locations for asbestos and who is exposed to the dangerous mineral more regularly.
Where is asbestos found?
Asbestos can be found in more than one place within a building, whether that’s beneath the flooring or tucked between roof insulation, so it’s good practice to be aware of how the mineral may look in different areas.
In the majority of homes or industrial buildings, there will be a heating system of some kind, and asbestos can easily survive on or inside boilers and pipework and is more often than not painted over and unrecognisable.
Asbestos can also commonly be found in textiles and composites, such as fuse boxes, old fire blankets, toilet cisterns, window sills and bath panels. This type of asbestos affects the cleanliness and safety of washrooms in particular and requires specialist identification and removal.
Additionally, sprayed coatings are often used on the underside of roofs or on steel work as fire protection, and even the slightest disturbance of these can release asbestos into the air. However, this is again difficult to identify as these coatings are grey or white with a rough surface but are often painted over.
Asbestos isn’t limited to these areas, so it’s important to be cautious in both residential and industrial properties and seek the help of a professional if you suspect the mineral to be disguised in the property you are living or working in.
Industrial and residential asbestos exposure
Everyone can be exposed to asbestos depending on their workplace or the house they live in, however, construction workers are more at risk of coming into contact with the mineral.
All jobs involving refurbishment or maintenance may also involve contact with asbestos as the mineral can be disturbed during the working day, by moving machinery, the demolition of walls, ceilings and roofs, and the refurbishment of entire rooms.
Therefore, those working as Plumbers, Electricians, Heating Engineers, or as part of the overall construction industry are often exposed to the mineral which may impact the state of their health in the future.
Although not an extensive list, this provides an insight into the job roles that need to take precautions at work to avoid disturbing Asbestos and developing an illness.
In addition to this, there is also the chance of direct domestic exposure if asbestos is found to be crumbling or loose inside the home as a result of day-to-day household activities.
In all cases of potential asbestos exposure, professionals should be contacted in order to remove any traces. Although construction workers are usually able to work around the area if they have the correct protection, this should be properly assessed before work continues to avoid disturbances and asbestos exposure.
If you have discovered signs of asbestos in your home or workplace and need professional help to ensure the area is safe, call us on 0191 488 5195 or email us at info@hendersonenvironmental.co.uk.
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