Introduction

Remember any building built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos!

Some materials pose a very high risk if they are disturbed or worked upon but most materials found in buildings pose a low risk if undisturbed.

However all materials which contain asbestos can be a risk to your health, so be aware at all times!

Some materials are easily spotted but others are hidden!

All materials containing asbestos must be identified and recorded in the building register. This is the document that you will need before you start work. Materials containing asbestos are known as ACMs (Asbestos Containing Materials).

This module will now familiarise you with ACMs in buildings
 

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Sprayed Coatings

Where do you find these?

Insulation on the underside of roofs and sometimes sides of buildings and warehouses. Also used as fire protection on steel and reinforced concrete beams/columns and on underside of floors. ACMs are sometimes found as acoustic and condensation protection on the underside of gutters etc. It was very easy to over-spray or get a ‘splash back’ from the equipment used to apply this so there is likely to be debris around the sprayed area. This is generally found in buildings built before 1974.

What do they look like?

Usually white or grey in colour with a rough surface, although it may have been painted or sealed with various coatings.

What are the dangers?

Sprayed coatings may contain up to 85% asbestos and break up very easily. They are potentially the most dangerous materials containing asbestos. Even minor disturbance of sprayed coatings can release large quantities of asbestos fibres, which may then be inhaled.
 

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Lagging and Insulation

Where do you find this?

Mostly found in or on heating systems such as boilers or calorifiers and around pipe work. It generally will only be found in buildings built or refurbished before the 1980’s.

What does it look like?

This type of ACM has many different appearances but is mostly a fibrous material, which flakes and powders easily. When applied to pipes it is often covered in a protective coating (or painted), which may make it more difficult to identify.

What are the dangers?

This is one of the most dangerous materials containing asbestos. You are more at risk from breathing in asbestos fibres because disturbance of the lagging or insulation releases fibres very easily into the air.

 

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Asbestos Insulating Board

(AIB sometimes called by the trade name ‘Asbestolux’)

Where do you find this?

Asbestos Insulating Board was commonly used as fireproofing material but it had many other uses such as: partition walls, panels in fire doors, lift shaft linings, ceiling tiles, soffits and internal panels below windows, cupboard linings and backboards for heaters and boilers.

What does it look like?

AIB looks like normal building materials such as wall panel boards, ceiling tiles and plasterboard. Although It is difficult to tell the difference between asbestos insulating board items and non-asbestos materials, sometimes trade names are visible.

What are the dangers?

Asbestos insulating board easily releases fibres in to the air when disturbed subsequently large amounts of fibre can be released if this material is drilled into or cut especially when using power tools!
 

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Asbestos Cement

Where do you find this?

You can find asbestos cement in many places both inside and outside buildings such as: Asbestos cement roofs, asbestos wall cladding, asbestos fascias, downpipes and gutters, asbestos cement flues, water tanks, fire surrounds and even water pipes. These products can be found in buildings built up until the late 1990’s.

What does it look like?

Asbestos cement is just ordinary cement mixed with asbestos. In some cases asbestos can make up over a third of the cement. It is a hard, grey material, which was moulded and compressed to produce some of the product shown in the panel.

What are the dangers?

As the asbestos is held tightly within the structure of the cement not much is given off when this is broken, however more asbestos fibres will be given off if it is sawn, cut or drilled. You do not need a licence to work on these materials. However you do require the proper training. The HSE have produced a number of task sheets to help you to take the correct precautions to work safely with them.

 

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Floor tiles, textiles and composites

Where do you find these?

Sometimes you may find asbestos floor tiles hidden under carpets. Textiles can be found in fuse boxes behind the actual fuse. Old fire blankets and heat resistant products, such as gloves can also be made out of asbestos textiles. Asbestos composites can be toilet cisterns, toilet seats, windowsills, and bath panels. Asbestos paper was used for lining under tiles and inside metal cladding.

What does they look like?

The appearance of these ACM’s are not that different from what is used now, and it is recommended that the building owner should be asked about how long they’ve had these materials within their buildings for. Also certain distinctive trade names may be visible. Floor tiles containing asbestos are usually 9" x 9" square in size, but to be certain samples will need to be taken to verify if they contain asbestos or not.

What are the dangers?

These should be treated with caution. If in doubt, assume they are asbestos and treat as such. You do not need a licence to work on these materials, however once again you will require the proper training.

 

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Textured coatings

Where do you find these?

Textured coatings were used to produce decorative finishes on ceilings and walls. In the past, they have had various trade names such as ‘Artex’.

What does they look like?

This is dependent on the particular decorative finish required e.g. peaks or patterns. Theses textures are hard and originally white in colour but have often been painted over.

What are the dangers?

The asbestos fibres are held in place within the structure and are not easily given off and breathed in, however they very hazardous if the coatings are sanded down – never do this.

 

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The Asbestos Register

So far in this module we have shown you the different types of ACMs which can be present within buildings constructed before 2000. 

REMEMBER! It is the legal duty of your employer and the building owner, to ensure that you are informed of the presence of any presumed or identified ACMs in the building or the area you are working in.

The information that they supply you with will come from an asbestos survey. Although the survey is a very useful document, the key piece of information that will inform you of the locations of these ACMs is called 'the asbestos register'.

Here is a typical extract from an Asbestos Register...

*Note: not all asbestos registers use these terminologies or layout*

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Which of the following materials is usually described as 'the highest risk' type of ACM found in buildings?

A: Floor Tiles B: Asbestos Cement C: Sprayed Asbestos Coating D: WC Cistern

Asbestos Cement is a very common product, the most common use for this was?

A: Corrugated Garage Roof Sheets B: Floor Coverings C: Sprayed Coating to Beams D: Lagging around pipework