What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that has been a popular building material throughout the 20th Century. It is used as an insulator (to keep in heat and keep out cold), has good fire protection properties and protects against corrosion.

 When asbestos containing materials are damaged the asbestos fibre may be released into the air and subsequently inhaled.

Inhalation of asbestos fibre can cause diseases such as mesothelioma (a cancer which affects the lining of the lungs), asbestos related lung cancer, asbestosis (a scarring of the lungs) and Pleural thickening (which constricts the lungs).

Because asbestos is often mixed with another material, it's hard to know whether a building materials contains asbestos or not. If you work in a building built before the year 2000, it's likely that some parts will contain asbestos.

Asbestos is found in many products including the following:

Sprayed coating

Found as fire protection on structural supports (eg columns and beams). It is a high hazard asbestos product and can generate very high fibre levels if disturbed. The coating is often hidden behind cladding and above ceilings

Pipe insulation

Asbestos thermal pipe lagging is a high hazard asbestos product found in service ducts riser cupboards, boilerooms and roof voids

Asbestos insulating board (also referred to as AIB)

Found as ceilings, wall paneling, firebreaks, door coverings and window boarding. AIB is a high hazard asbestos product and can generate high levels of fibres if the board is cut

Floor tiles

Vinyl (PVC) or thermoplastic tiles contain asbestos.

Textured decorative coating (such as Artex)

Textured coatings contain a small amount of asbestos. The asbestos is well bonded and fibres are not easily released. However, it is still an asbestos product, and as such, needs to be worked with safely.