The control of asbestos

by Roland Finch
NBS Technical Author

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral. It has been used since Roman times, and at its peak was used in over 3000 products. It occurs throughout the world including Africa, Australia, Canada, China Russia, and the United States of America.

It is estimated that over 6 million tonnes of asbestos has been mined worldwide.

Asbestos is a commercial term rather than a scientific or geological one. It comes in three main forms: crocodilite (blue asbestos) amosite (brown) and chrysotile (white) although the colour is not significant in identification. There are other forms, such as actinolite, anthophyllite and tremolite, although these are much less common in buildings.

The main properties include:

• Strength
• Incombustibility
• Use as a binding agent
• Resistance to high temperatures
• Resistance to electrical current
• Resistance to chemical, vermin and insect attack
• Good sound absorption properties.

Asbestos is a very versatile building material. As a result, it was extensively used in a variety of applications, including cement, sprayed coatings, lagging, insulating board, textiles, floor tiles and roofing felt.

Unfortunately, the physical properties which give it these qualities, the long, flexible fibres, have been found to be the cause various diseases such as lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, making asbestos the biggest single occupational health problem ever encountered.

Although the use of asbestos has been prohibited for some time, there is usually a substantial delay between the first exposures of asbestos to the first symptoms of any asbestos related disease, varying from between 10 to 60 years.

It is anticipated that deaths – The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimate there are around 3500 asbestos-related deaths in the United Kingdom per year – will increase dramatically by the end of the decade.

But it is not just building workers who are at risk. People who live or work in areas where asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), are present can also be at risk. HSE considers that ACMs are still present in over 500,000 commercial buildings in the UK.

Previous legislation was aimed at factory workers or asbestos removers. It assumed that people know if asbestos is present, and also what to do about it. In fact this is rarely the case, so a gap was identified – the need to identify and manage the presence of asbestos.

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (The “Asbestos Regulations”) came into force on 13 November 2006 (SI 2006/2739). These Regulations replace the three previous sets, covering the prohibition of asbestos, the control of asbestos at work and asbestos licensing.

They forbid the importation, supply and use of all forms of asbestos, following the ban introduced for blue and brown asbestos in 1985 and for white asbestos in 1999, and prohibit the second-hand use of asbestos products.

If, however, existing asbestos containing materials are in good condition, they may be left in place, but their condition must be monitored and managed to ensure they are not disturbed.

The Asbestos Regulations include the 'duty to manage asbestos’ in non-domestic premises. Guidance on the duty to manage asbestos can be found in the Approved Code of Practice: The management of asbestos in non-domestic premises, L127, (HSE books).

INDG223 – A short guide to the management of asbestos in premises (HSE books) contains the following advice:

Make sure that employees involved in building maintenance work and any contractors working on the premises know that the building contains or may contain asbestos.

You should also tell them where it is and make sure they know there are potential risks to their health if they disturb it.

You may also need to tell anyone installing telephones, computers or any electrical equipment, as they also may disturb asbestos. Make them all aware of the drawing or record showing where the ACM is and the possibility of coming across hidden ACMs which might not be recorded.

If workers/ contractors do have to work on materials containing asbestos you must make sure that they know they are working with asbestos and what precautions they should take.

Make sure that they do:

• keep everyone out of the work area who does not need to be there;
• take care not to create dust;
• keep the material wet, whenever possible;
• wear a suitable respirator and protective clothing;
• clean up with a vacuum cleaner which complies with BS 5415 (Type 'H').

Make sure they don't:

• break up large pieces of asbestos materials;
• use high-speed power tools - they create high levels of dust;
• expose other workers who are not protected;
• take protective clothing home to wash.

References

INDG223 A short guide to managing asbestos in premises, HSE Books, 2002

L127 The management of asbestos in non-domestic premises, Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006: Approved Code of Practice and guidance, HSE Books, 2006

Related NBS information:

Articles:

• Asbestos surveys – 2010 update

Selected links:

• Hazardous materials

Written March 2009

 

ViewAllArticles

BackToTop