By NICK STYRAN Coppolo & Coyde
ASBESTOSin the home
No doubt you will have seen countless articles relating to asbestos recently whether it be contractors being taken to court for disturbing it and exposing employees, companies failing to meet the requirements of legislation with regards to the management of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) within the workplace or the unfortunate consequences of exposure to asbestos fibres.
You may think that asbestos is only an issue for persons at work but this is simply not the case.
Where am I likely to find asbestos materials?
Normally non-licensed materials 4 1 1 3 5 5 2 5 1 1 2 8 6 5 3 Typical locations for the most common asbestos materials
Of course, the risks to persons at work are greater as they work in a great number of buildings and come across lots of different materials. The risks in the home however, cannot be dismissed.
Asbestos was used widely in the construction industry during the 60s and 70s but continued to be used in some forms as late as 2000. In domestic premises, typical locations of asbestos include soffits, understairs lining board, garage ceilings, boiler flues and on occasion lagging and insulation to pipework.
With this in mind, it is easy to see how homeowners could potentially expose
Page 30 20/20 Habitat
themselves or their family members to asbestos. That is why it is important to take in all the advice you can regarding asbestos and how to reduce the risks.
So, is asbestos really dangerous to me as I have heard some types of asbestos are relatively low risk?
Inhalation of any asbestos fibres can lead to the development of very serious diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. There are three main types of asbestos which have been commonly used in the construction industry: crocidolite, amosite and chrysotile, often described as blue, brown and white asbestos respectively. In Jersey, significant amounts of asbestos containing materials (ACMs)
were imported in the last century and were used in the construction of buildings and structures. All types of asbestos are dangerous to your health if the asbestos fibres are released due to damage or poor handling of the product and inhaled.
What measures do I need to take to protect myself, my family and my neighbours from asbestos exposure?
Firstly, Jersey Health and Safety at Work legislation does not cover DIY work in domestic properties. However, if you are concerned and to be sure you are not putting yourself and those around you at risk, you should have any suspicious materials sampled. The “Asbestos Consultants” section in the
3 6 7 7 3 1 2 3 4 1 6 1 6 1 1 1
1. AC Products 2. Textured coatings 3. Floor tiles, textiles & composites
3 1
2 Normally licensed materials
4. Sprayed coatings on walls, beams/ columns
4
5. AIB 6. Lagging 7. Loose asbestos in ceiling or floor cavity
6 5
7
Note: This diagram does not show all possible uses and locations of asbestos materials. A detailed survey will be required to identify all asbestos materials in a building.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100