Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that has been a popular building material since the 1950s. It is used as an insulator (to keep in heat and keep out cold), has good fire protection properties and protects against corrosion.
Because asbestos is often mixed with another material, it's hard to know if you're working with it or not. But, if you work in a building built before the year 2000, it's likely that some parts of the building will contain asbestos. Houses and flats built or refurbished from the 1950s onwards may contain asbestos materials.
Asbestos has also been used in some heat-resistant household products, such as oven gloves and ironing boards. The use of asbestos in these products decreased greatly around the mid-1980s, and since the mid 1990s the use of asbestos in most products decreased until 1999 when it was banned.
It is not always easy to tell whether a product contains asbestos as modern asbestos-free materials often look similar - remember it is usually older products that contain asbestos.
In domestic properties there are a number of places around the home where asbestos containing materials are commonly found and generally the asbestos content of such materials is low or in some cases bound within the material in such a way that it can be difficult for the material to release fibres into the air.
Back to top
When asbestos materials age or become damaged they can release fibres into the air. These can be breathed deep into the lung where they may stay for a long time, causing possible damage. When very high levels of these fibres are breathed in there is a risk of lung diseases, including cancer.
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.
Because asbestos has been so widely used, there is a very low level of fibres in the air everywhere. Exposure to this low level of fibres is unlikely to harm your health.
Levels of fibres may be higher in buildings containing asbestos materials, especially where the materials are damaged. It is very unlikely that the levels of asbestos fibres found in buildings will be harmful unless there is damaged asbestos in the building, but if you have damaged asbestos materials in your home you should seek advice on appropriate action to take.
High, short-term exposures to asbestos fibres can occur during DIY work. For this reason, try not to raise dust when working with materials that might contain asbestos, and avoid sanding or drilling.
There are some common uses for different types of asbestos that you may come across within your home. These are detailed in our 'Asbestos - Common Uses' information sheet.
If you have, or suspect you have asbestos in your home, extra care should be taken when planning any DIY.
If you have any doubts, always seek advice before starting work on any project. Do not attempt any work which involves disturbing sprayed asbestos, lagging or Asbestos Insulation Board as any work involving these materials must be carried out by a licensed contractor.
If you do carry out any work that may disturb other types of asbestos containing materials you should always take the following precautions:
-
Keep other people away from the area that you are working in;
-
Wear protective clothing (e.g. disposable overalls) and avoid breathing in any dust that may contain asbestos fibres. A disposable mask CE marked to EN149 with an FFP3 particulate filter is recommended;
-
Try to keep any suspected asbestos material wet in order to avoid producing dust;
-
Work outside if at all possible and avoid working overhead;
-
Do not drill, cut, or abrade any known asbestos containing material. When painting or decorating, scraping or sanding an asbestos containing material should be avoided, particularly if the material is very soft as this is most likely to be Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) and can release large amounts of fibres if the material is abraded or drilled;
-
Try to use hand tools rather than power tools;
-
Never use an ordinary domestic or industrial type vacuum cleaner, as these will only contain the larger debris, but strip fibres and blow them out again. Always hire a cleaner that conforms to BS5415 (Type H);
-
When you have finished work, clean the work area using damp cloths or an H type cleaner, taking care to clear up any visible asbestos debris. Take off and dispose of any overalls by double bagging them along with disposable masks and used cloths. The bags should be clearly marked 'Asbestos' and preferably be bags specifically designed to dispose of asbestos waste.
For further information (for Council tenants) contact the Leicester City Council's Housing Division's Asbestos Co-ordinator on (0116) 2526219 or for information regarding private dwellings or owner-occupied housing, the web sites listed below provide useful information:
www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos
www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials
www.arca.org.uk
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Back to top
