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Frequently Asked Questions

• What is asbestos? |
• When is asbestos a hazard? |
• Why is asbestos dangerous? |
• Why is asbestos still a problem? |
• What should I do?

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Contact us now for more information or to arrange an asbestos compliance survey.