Asbestos Consultants
We are an asbestos awareness company operating throughout Hampshire & the UK who offer many types of asbestos services. Our main service is that we are asbestos consultants offering professional awareness of asbestos.
The HSE defines Asbestos as a term used for the fibrous forms of several naturally occurring minerals.
Asbestos was, and still is, a wonder material with no equal; it was cheap, light, plentiful, water resistant, would improve the properties of other materials and could be made into so many shapes and products. The only problem was when we started to find out how toxic only small quantities and individual fibres of asbestos could be.
The three main types of commercially used Asbestos
- Chrysotile - often referred to as "White asbestos"
- Amosite - often referred to as "Brown asbestos"
- Crocidolite - often referred to as "Blue asbestos"
All can be dangerous, but Blue and Brown Asbestos are known to be more dangerous than White. The different types cannot usually be identified by their colour alone. Where Asbestos is affected by heat or chemicals, or combined with other substances, the colour and appearance can change.
There is no simple laboratory test to identify the different types of Asbestos. Laboratory analysis is required. They often occur as mixtures and unless you are sure which type of Asbestos fibres are present you must treat the material as if it contains blue or brown.
Where Is It Found?
Most products made today do not contain Asbestos. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has banned several Asbestos products, and manufacturers have voluntarily agreed to limit the use of others. Any products made that still contain asbestos are required to be clearly labeled. However, many types of building products and insulation materials made before the 1970s contain asbestos.
These products include pipe and furnace insulation materials; asbestos and cement shingles, siding, and roofing; millboard; resilient floor tiles, the backing on vinyl sheet flooring, and floor tile adhesives; soundproofing or decorative material; patching and joint compound; fireproof gloves and stove-top pads; and automobile brake pads and linings, clutch facings, and gaskets. See Where Asbestos can be found for more information.
What Can Be Done?
Usually it is best to leave Asbestos material that is in good condition alone. Generally, material in good condition will not release asbestos fibres. Try to prevent the material from being damaged, disturbed, or touched.
Periodically inspect the material for damage or deterioration. Properly dispose of damaged or worn Asbestos gloves, stovetop pads, or ironing board covers. Check with appropriate officials on how to properly handle and dispose of those materials.
The only way to tell if an object contains Asbestos by looking at it is if the material is labeled. Otherwise, you should have it sampled and analysed by a qualified professional. Until you receive the results, treat the material as if it contains Asbestos. Only qualified professionals should extract samples. If improperly done, extracting samples can be more hazardous than leaving the material undisturbed.
