Frequently asked questions about asbestos removal
Asbestos was made illegal in 1999, meaning any home or building constructed before 2000 is likely to be built from asbestos-containing materials. If you come across asbestos, it is important to understand what to do to reduce the likelihood of health risks to yourself or others. In this blog post, we provide answers to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding asbestos removal and safety.
What are the health risks of asbestos?
Asbestos exposure can be extremely dangerous, and it is responsible for approximately 5,000 deaths per year. The implications of exposure are not immediate as it can take 15-60 years to develop symptoms, meaning younger people are at a higher risk of asbestos exposure. Unsafe and unregulated exposure should be avoided as much as possible, and only professional contractors should deal with high-risk asbestos removal and disposal.
Asbestos can cause a range of diseases and conditions leading to lung complications, including:
- Mesothelioma: a type of cancer which lines the lungs and is almost exclusively linked to asbestos exposure.
- Asbestosis is a scarring of the lungs which is often debilitating and hugely impacts a person’s quality of life.
- Diffuse pleural thickening is caused by asbestos exposure. The thickening of the membrane surrounding the lungs can restrict lung expansion leading to breathlessness.
Industrial asbestos removal – what is the employer’s responsibility?
If you come across asbestos at work, you must stop working immediately. If you can, confirm whether it is asbestos, and if you are unsure, you should always assume that it is. This helps determine the risk, and whether you need a licensed contractor. If the risk is low, you may not require a license to carry out the work yourself. You should only do non-licensed work if you have had appropriate information, instruction and training.
Employers must provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) if employees are working with or around asbestos, and a risk assessment must be completed before any work begins. If you believe your employer isn’t taking the correct precautions or protecting you and your colleagues then you can check which local authority to report to or alternatively, you can contact the HSE Concerns team.
Residential asbestos – what should you do?
Asbestos can be present in any building built or refurbished before 2000. It can be present in a range of materials inside and outside of your house, including:
- Floor tiles
- Textured coatings (i.e. Artex)
- Toilet cisterns/bowls
- Cement downpipes and gutters
- Water Tanks
- Roof/wall tiles
- Fascia’s and soffit boards
- Pipe insulation
- Flues
- Textiles
- Loose-fill insulation
If you think you have found asbestos in your home, leave all materials and stop any DIY or refurbishment work immediately. Make sure there is no clear damage or deterioration to the material and contact your local environmental officer to receive advice on what to do. The asbestos may need removing, disposing of or encapsulating, depending on the risk imposed. You will require a licensed contractor to remove or encapsulate the asbestos.
If you are aware of asbestos being present in your home, you must inform any contractors of its presence, so they can wear appropriate PPE and make sure not to damage the material or item containing asbestos.
It is also important to note that it is illegal to sell, gift, donate or give away any items containing asbestos.
How to remove asbestos
High-risk asbestos removal must be carried out by a fully Licensed Asbestos Removal Contractor (LARC). Specific training and practices are required. Particular PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) must be worn when dealing with asbestos and legally, professionals with high exposure to asbestos must be under regular medical surveillance, to help minimise and manage any health risks.
Sometimes, asbestos is best not to be removed due to safety concerns. An assessment must be carried out to understand the best course of action for handling the material. Sometimes, the encapsulation process can be most effective for protecting residents from the fibres.
Lower-risk work which does not require a license for removal (Non-Licenced and Notifiable Non Licenced work) still requires a risk assessment, and appropriate controls must be in place.
How to dispose of asbestos
Asbestos and any contaminated waste (E.g. cleaning rags and PPE) must be disposed of correctly. Suitable packaging must be used for disposal, and any waste must be double-wrapped and labelled correctly. Asbestos products cannot be broken down into smaller parts, so larger items must be wrapped differently, using suitable materials.
Disposal and removal of asbestos is significantly hazardous and must only be carried out by suitable contractors. All waste must be handled by a licensed disposal site.
If you believe you have asbestos on your property or have a general query about asbestos removal and disposal, please get in touch. You can read more about the regulations regarding asbestos on the HSE website here.
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