Hi,
Our garage roof is made of white asbestos corrugated sheets. We live in a block of flats and all of the garages have this.
Is it very dangerous? One owner is replacing his by himself and has left the old roof in the garage for a few days, is this dangerous?
Thks
Clarence Kay wrote
All asbestos is dangerous to a degree, but white asbestos, or Crysotile to give it its proper name, is the least dangerous of the three types. Corrugated roof sheeting is a mixture of cement reinforced with asbestos fibres. Normally Crysotile was used for this, but there is no guarantee that other, more dangerous, types were not used, so it should be treated with respect. It can be removed and disposed of quite safely by a DIYer by following these basic rules:
? Prepare the work area - remove any unnecessary items, cover the floor and surfaces with disposable polythene sheeting. ? Wear protective clothing- disposable overall with hood, disposable paper face mask (for use with asbestos) and rubber or disposable gloves. ? Damp down - use a plant sprayer or hosepipe but don't soak the area as this will make cleaning up more difficult. ? Remove the asbestos without breaking it up, wrap in polythene sheeting or bags and seal with tape. Never saw or drill asbestos cement. ? Visually inspect the area and clear up any debris by hand - wipe down with disposable damp cloths. Never use a vacuum cleaner as this will just spread dust around. ? Pick up polythene sheeting and remove protective clothing and dispose of both as asbestos waste. ? Telephone your local council to enquire whether they have a dedicated enclosed skip anywhere. If not you will need to contact a waste disposal contractor. ? Wash hands and face thoroughly after the job is completed.
HTH Peter
No. It is the very common asbestos cement.
No.
Asbestos is only a problem when it is broken, its the fibres that it is made of that are dangerous, so therefore as long as your roof is in one piece, it's a very useful material.
If you want to remove it yourself, ensure that the area is soaked, to avoid the fibres escaping if it breaks, and wear protective clothing, including a sufficiently graded mask.
There are skip companies that provide skips for asbestos removal, they are more expensive than a regular skip (we were quoted £400 +vat) but it saves you using your own car to transport it.
Although it might be white / Grey in colour this does not mean it is 'white' asbestos. I have seen 'blue' asbestos used as corrugated roof sheets. This is when all the adjoining houses had 'white' asbestos sheets.
You can only be certain when samples are taken and tested. 'Blue' asbestos is far more dangerous that 'white' However Peter's advice is still good and sound practice for the limited exposure for this job.
No.
No.
It is relative as to dangerous to who ? you or the person exposed to contamination. Im sure the HSE would take a very different view, especially if the work was be done by a unlicencesed contractor.
No one.
Care to point out any prohibition on someone removing asbestos cement roofing themselves?
Quote 'if the work was be done by a unlicencesed contractor'
I did not mention doing the work themselves did I ? . But never mind just another one of over 3000 people a year who die from exposure to asbestos.(
Are you aware or do you have any reference to even one single death attributable to asbestos cement?
You have and you do - you just don't know about it.
Is that why Canada and South Africa are so sparsely populated?
I did not mention doing the work themselves did I ? . But never mind justanother one of over 3000 people a year who die from exposure to asbestos.
Are you aware or do you have any reference to even one single death attributable to asbestos cement?
No but since the HSE are the experts and the figure quoted is from them i would think it is fairly reliable.
Glad i don't touch the stuff myself,
You have and you do - you just don't know about it.
Good point, but i never put myself in the situation where i could be contanimated.
Those figures do not attribute a single death to asbestos cement.
You don't breath? Neat :-). If your nonsensical claim that "just one little fibre and then a slippy slope to a messy death" was true the minimum acceptable exposure level should be zero. Is it?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral so the whole world?s population is potentially at risk. In practice, because the risk from small exposures is so low, only those who are regularly exposed are significantly at risk.
On average one inhales an asbestos fibre for every three cubic metres of air breathed whilst in a town. The claim that "one fibre is lethal" is pure nonsense.
Asher.
Good post - covers it nicely.
My local council (Stirling) insists on the sheets being double bagged and aparently (in Scotland at least) you have to get permission from SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) to transport asbestos
- last I checked, the certificate to do this cost £15. I've not got round to doing it yet though...
Alan.
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