Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals. Due to its strength and fire resistance, asbestos was used in a wide range of building materials and products between the 1930s and the mid-1980s. If a property was built or refurbished during this time, it may contain some form of asbestos. Homes built after 2000 are very unlikely to contain asbestos. 

Where might asbestos be found in a property?

The most common area where asbestos is likely to be found is contained in artex. Artex is a textured ceiling coating that was widely used in many properties and contained a small percentage of asbestos. Artex is safe as long as it is not disturbed as the asbestos is highly bonded within the artex, and doesn’t release fibres easily. Contract holders can repaint if necessary, as long as they do not drill, saw, sand, or scrape the artex.

Asbestos can also be found in the following areas:

Bath Panels/toilet cisterns, corrugated roof sheets on sheds or garages, soffits (roofline boards), guttering, downpipes, and soil pipes, boilers, boxing to soil pipes, floor tiles, textured decorative coatings e.g. artex, window cills, panels beneath windows, roofing felt, water tanks, panels to fire doors, panels behind fires heaters and boilers, partition walls, between partitions

What are the risks?

The Health and Safety Executive says that:

“Asbestos is not a risk if it is in good condition and not disturbed. Asbestos only poses a risk if it becomes damaged and its fibres are released into the air and breathed in.”

Most people are exposed to the low amounts of asbestos present in the atmosphere with no ill effects. Asbestos fibres and dust are however potentially very dangerous if inhaled in higher concentrations over time when they can cause serious lung diseases including cancer. The symptoms of these diseases often may not appear for between 15 – 30 years after asbestos exposure.

If a contract holder thinks they have asbestos in their home what should they do?

Asbestos does not pose a risk if it remains in good condition and not disturbed. If  they think any material containing asbestos is present or may have been damaged they should:

• Leave it alone: it is safe unless it is disturbed or damaged.
• Seek professional advice. Contact us and we will arrange for someone to determine whether the material contains asbestos and how to deal with it safely.  This will usually involve either checking what asbestos data we already have available, or arranging for a sample to be taken (to determine if the material does contain asbestos or not).
• Please be aware – only suitably trained and qualified persons are permitted to sample or undertake a survey in their home.
• Not attempt to remove any form of asbestos themselves.

What are the responsibilities of the Contract Holder?

If asbestos is identified then it will either be removed in the case of any planned maintenance programmes or left where it is if it remains in good condition and is not likely to be damaged or easily disturbed. If the material is damaged or is a high risk due to its location, we will take action to have it removed or encapsulated.

What are we doing about asbestos?

We keep a record of all the known asbestos in our properties, this is in the form of asbestos surveys that are saved on the T drive and in Documotive, as well as an asbestos register on IBS.  We have a fully qualified contractor who also carries out testing on any suspected materials before work starts.  

If a contract holder plans to do minor work to their property, which does not require our permission (such as putting up shelves or fixtures that could involve any drilling, sawing, sanding and they are unsure whether asbestos is present they should contact us. We will arrange, if necessary, a sample of the affected area that they are planning to work on (if we have not surveyed your home) to identify if asbestos is present and advise them what needs to be done before work can start. If they carry out any work without our approval they will be charged for the cost of dealing with any asbestos incidents. 

Why do we re-inspect blocks periodically?