Asbestos – the hidden dangers!
Asbestos components may take the form of seals, gaskets, insulation panels and rope within old appliances, especially aged boilers. There are three types normally encountered in the UK:
- Chrysotile (white)
- Amosite (brown)
- Crocidolite (blue)
These are usually referred to as their common names (shown above in brackets), although they cannot be identified by their colour. Laboratory analysis is needed for positive identification.
Asbestos fibres enter the body through breathing, via the nose and mouth. They cannot enter the body through the skin or via food and drink as this will pass through.
Disease is caused by tiny fibres of asbestos passing into the lungs where they can stay for many years. Small but repeated exposure on different jobs over time can lead to the development of an asbestos-related disease, which can take anything from 15 to 60 years to develop.
THIS IS WHY IT IS CRUCIAL TO PREVENT EXPOSURE ON EVERY JOB!
If in doubt or suspect asbestos– STOP WORK IMMEDIATELY!
The following list has been compiled to aid you and minimise the risk from exposure, however, the list cannot be considered to be definitive, and any material you do suspect as asbestos should be treated as such. There may be other appliances containing asbestos materials that do not appear on the list. Specialist advice should be sought from the manufacturer prior to commencing any work and where necessary, specialist licensed asbestos removal companies used.