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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is the name for a group of fibrous minerals that are mined and mixed into building materials.
Asbestos is very resistant to heat and chemicals.
Asbestos has been used in a wide range of manufactured goods including floor and ceiling tiles, coatings, texturing materials and thermal insulation.
Currently, asbestos is used only in products where another material has not been found to replace it.
Generally, asbestos is not a health risk when bound together with a substance that prevents the fibres from entering the environment.

You can read more about the history of asbestos here.

When is Asbestos a Hazard?

Asbestos is not always an immediate hazard. In fact, if asbestos can be maintained in
good condition, it is recommended that it be left alone and periodic surveillance performed
to monitor it’s condition. Only when materials containing asbestos are disturbed or those materials become damaged that it becomes a hazard. When asbestos containing materials become damaged, the fibres separate and may then become airborne. Airborne fibres are
a hazard to your health.

Why is Asbestos Dangerous?

Asbestos fibres can be both the promoter and initiator of cancer. Breathing in the fibres
can result in asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. There is no exposure level
beneath which asbestos is safe. In other words, a single fibre breathed in could lead to disease anything between 15 and 60 years from the time of exposure.

Why is Asbestos still a Problem?

Thousand of tonnes of asbestos in its different forms were used in the building industry well before bans on its use were started in the 1970s. Some forms of asbestos were still used until 1999. An estimated 5 million commercial premises in England have Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) within them. The disturbance of these ACMs, during maintenance, refurbishment or demolition work can result in the dispersal of asbestos fibres.

A list of some of the products using asbestos is here.

What should I do?

Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos (2006) states that the Duty Holder of a commercial premises must manage the ACMs within the premises. An asbestos register and plan for dealing with each ACM must be produced. Midland Asbestos Survey Services can produce these for you.

Failure to comply with the asbestos regulations may result in prosecution by the HSE Contact Midlands Asbestos Survey Services.

Midlands Asbestos Surveys Services
184 Northumberland Court, Northumberland Road, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6HW

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“MDHS Methods for the Determination of
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“3D House Plan of Typical Locations Containing
Asbestos Materials”...

“Asbestos Guidance for
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