What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral of which there are three types of fibres:
Asbestos was extensively used as a building material in the UK from the 1950s through to the mid-1980s. It was used for a variety of purposes and was ideal for fireproofing and insulation. Any building built before 2000 (houses, factories, offices, schools, hospitals etc) can contain asbestos. Asbestos materials in good condition are safe unless asbestos fibres become airborne, which happens when materials are damaged.
Why is asbestos a problem?
Asbestos fibres are present in the environment in Great Britain so people are exposed to very low levels of fibres. The key factor in the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease, however, is the number of fibres that are inhaled. Working on or near damaged asbestos containing materials or inhaling high levels of asbestos fibres, which may be many hundreds of times that of environmental levels, could increase your chances of getting an asbestos related disease.
People who have worked with asbestos for many years as part of their job or have washed the dusty clothing of those who worked with asbestos are most likely to be affected. Workplace regulations now protect such people. When asbestos fibres are inhaled they can cause serious diseases which are responsible for around 4000 deaths a year.
There are three main diseases caused by asbestos:
- mesothelioma (fatal)
- lung cancer (usually fatal)
- asbestosis (not always fatal, but it can be very debilitating).
These diseases will not affect you immediately but later on in life, so there is a need for you to protect yourself now to prevent you contracting an asbestos-related disease in the future.
Identifying asbestos
Identifying asbestos is not easy - you can't tell if a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it with the naked eye. The colour of the material does not indicate the type of asbestos, that may be present. The only way to be certain if a product does contain asbestos is to have an asbestos survey conducted.
Before the hazards of asbestos fibre inhalation were fully recognised, fire-resistant asbestos was the safety material of choice for builders and property renovators for much of the 20th Century. The strong binding qualities of asbestos were also often used in the manufacture of other construction materials and, as a consequence, asbestos can be found in many areas of commercial property:
Do you suspect asbestos in your home or place of work?
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