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Managing & Uses

Some Important Regulations Applicable to the Asbestos Industry
Uses of Asbestos in Buildings & Where it is Likely To Be Found

A NEW DUTY TO MANAGE ASBESTOS - Regulaton 4

A new duty to manage asbestos has been added to the new Control of Asbestos Regulations CAR 2006. It will apply to you if you have maintenance and repair responsibilities for non-domestic properties either through a contract or tenancy agreement or because you own the premises.

The above has been sourced from the HSE BOOKLET Managing Asbestos Your New Legal Duties.

The new duty will require you to manage the risk from asbestos by:

•	Surveying the property to find out if asbestos materials are present, the amount and what condition the asbestos based materials are

•	Presuming materials contain asbestos, unless there is strong evidence to suggest that they do not

•	Creating and keeping up to date a record of the location and condition of the ACM's or presumed ACM's - (ACM - Asbestos containing materials)

•	Asses the risk from the asbestos materials

•	Prepare a plan that sets out in detail how you are going to manage the risk

•	Take steps to put the plan into action

•	Review and monitor the plan, change the plan if circumstances change

•	Provide the information on location and condition to any persons who are liable to work on or disturb the ACM

•	Have arrangements and procedures in place so that works which may disturb asbestos materials complies with The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations

•	Continue to monitor the asbestos and its condition.

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Work on or with a material containing asbestos must be carried out by a HSE approved and licensed contractor

Some important regulations applicable to the asbestos industry

•	The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006

•	The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 Regulation 4

•	The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002

•	The Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 (as amended)

•	The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 (CDM)

•	The Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992 (as amended)

•	The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

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USES OF ASBESTOS IN BUILDINGS & WHERE IT IS LIKELY TO BE FOUND

SPRAYED COATINGS

•	On steel works

•	Concrete walls and ceilings

•	Fire protection and insulation

THERMAL INSULATION/LAGGING

•	Insulation on pipework

•	Biolers, Calorifiers

•	Ducts, pressure vessels

ASBESTOS CEMENT PRODUCTS

•	Sheeting on walls and roofs

•	Tiles

•	Cold water tanks

•	Gutters

•	Pipes

•	Decorative plaster finishes (artex)

SPRAYED COATINGS (Flock)

•	Probably the most lethal way in which asbestos was used

•	A mixture of hydrated asbestos and portland cement, containing up to 85% asbestos

•	Used extensively between 1935 and 1974 in public buildings (eg schools, swimming pools) for thermal and accoustic insulation and fire and condensation protection (eg steel framed buildings)

•	Common to balconies and walkways

•	Chrysotile, mised with mineral wool and binder, was used until 1974 Also used as a coating on top of other asbestos materials

•	Soft and friable, therefore potential for fibre release unless sealed

•	Once sprayed asbestos has been applied it is very difficult to completely remove due to adhesives used on the surface (eg bitumen)

•	As it ages the binding medium degrade and the material disintegrates. Dust release may then accumulate

INSULATION (thermal and accoustic)

•	Asbestos was used for thermal insulation of pipes (hard set as well as sectional) boilers, pressure vessels, pre-formed pipe sections

•	Additional usage, as slab, tape, rope, corrugated paper (foil faced), quilts, felts and blankets

•	Also used as surface coating on felt and cork insulation

•	Some forms of pipe lagging may hav a protective covering of cloth (scrim), tape, paper or metal, or a surface coating of cement and wire netting (chicken wire)

•	Crocidolite yarn and rope insulation was used from 1880's until mid 1960's particularly where acide resistance was required, (plant rooms and equipment)

•	Between late 1950's and mid 1970's Amosite was used to make reinforced calcium silicate high temperature lagging

•	Content depends on the type of material - quilts, mattresses and blankets can obtain up to 100% asbestos

•	Common pipe and boiler lagging contains 85% magnesium carbonate and 15% asbestos

•	Used widely in public building, factories and hospitals

•	Small number of houses had 'loose fill' asbestos loft insulation (waste from other work?)

•	Also used for insulation between floors

•	Friability depends on mature of insulation

•	Asbestos insulation has a strong potential for fibre release unless sealed, this risk will increase with age

•	Dust release may then accumulate

ASBESTOS INSULATING BOARD (AIB)

•	Asbestos Insulation Board (trade name 'asbestolux') was mainly used to provide structural fire protection, heat resistance, acoustic insulation, partitioning and as a non combustible core or lining for other products (doors, meters cupboards, ovens, domestic boiler casings)

•	Used as general building board (in-fill panels, bath panels, wall lining, canopies and porch linings) because of its versatility and resistance to moisture in humid situations

•	Asbestos ceiling tiles introduced in early 1950's and used in large numbers until 1960's

•	Asbestos ceiling tiles were usually squared with a bevelled edge

•	Some were made with perforated surface for acoustic insulation (screwed and heads filled over with plaster)

•	Likely to release fibres if broken, abraded, sawn or drilled and even during gentle handling

ROPES, YARNS AND CLOTH

•	Woven and spun materials - can contain up to 100% asbestos

•	All three types of asbestos used until 1970, since then only Chrysolite

•	Yarns used in jointing and packing materials; heating/fire resisting gaskets and seals; caulking for brickwork; boiler and flue sealing

Ropes

•	Ropes Widely used for lagging of pipes and as rot-proof firestops where pipes pass through walls. Plaited tubing as insulation for electric wire and cable

Cloth

•	Used in fire protective clothing - overalls, gloves, aprons. Also in fire blankets and curtains - sometimes aluminised to reflect radiant heat

•	Used in foundries, laboratories and kitchens

•	Risk of fibre released depends on bonding of material. Bonded resinous of gasket material unlikely to release fibres

ASBESTOS CEMENT

•	Generally contains 10-15% white asbestos bound in portland cement

•	Some boards contain a small proportion of cellulose

•	All three types of asbestos used but Chrysotile most commonly used because of its alkali resistance property

•	Used as compressed flat or corrugated sheets or moulded into products such as rain water down pipes and gutters

•	Use - partitioning in farm buildings housing and garages, shuttering, decorative, portable buildings (prefabs), fire surrounds

•	Fully compressed flat sheet

•	Use - as tiles and slates, cladding, decking and promenade tiles, roofing

•	Pre-formed moulded products

•	Use - Cisterns, water tanks, drains, soil pipes, rainwater goods, flue pipes, fencing fascias, soffits, cable troughs and conduits, window flower boxes

•	Profiled (corrugated) sheets

•	Use - roofing, wall cladding and weatherboarding

•	Fibres firmly bound in the material

•	Fibres will only be released if subject to mechanical damage or ageing

•	Poor work practices will result in much lighter dust concentrations

ASBESTOS BITUMEN PRODUCTS

•	Chrysotile fibre or asbestos paper (approx. 100% in bitumen)

•	Use - bitumen roofing felt, damp-proof course, gutter linings and flashings

•	Asbestos - bitumen coatings on metals, adhesives

MILLBOARD AND PAPER

•	Used for general heat insulation and fire protection

•	Millboard used as electrical/heat insulation of electrical equipment and plant, and in laboratories for thermal insulation

•	Asbestos paper used as fireproofing facing on wood fibreboard, pipe insulation and manufacture of roofing felt and damp proof courses, vinyl flooring, cladding, etc

•	Crocidolite was used in millboards between 1896 - 1965

•	Millboard and asbestos paper are not highly bonded and therefore potential for fibre release if unsealed

FLOORING MATERIALS

•	Thermoplastic floor tiles - up to 25% asbestos

•	PVC vinyl floor tiles and unbacked PVC flooring - less than 10% Chrysotile

•	First used as 'Marley' tiles?

•	Fibre release unlikely under normal service conditions - more likely when paper backing removed or disturbed, or from the adhesive used

TEXTURED COATINGS AND PAINT

•	Common known by a trade name, artex (applied mainly on ceilings)

•	3-5% Chrysotile

•	Fibre released when coating rubbed down - must not be power sanded

•	No released of fibre if not disturbed

MASTICS, PUTTIES AND ADHESIVES

•	Used for 'anti-slump' characteristics, mainly around windows

REINFORCED PVC AND PLASTICS

•	Reinforced for domestic goods, WC cisterns and seats, battery cases, plastic handles "eternite" windowsills

FIBRE RELEASE

High risk of fibre release

•	Sprayed coatings

•	Lagging

•	Insulating boards, insulating blocks and composite products

•	Millboard, paper and paper products

Medium risk of fibre release

•	Asbestos cement (medium risk if worked with properly)

Low risk of fibre release

•	Bitumen roofing felts, damp proof courses, semi-rigid asbestos/bitumen products and asbestos/bitumen coated metals

•	Asbestos paper backed vinyl flooring

•	Un-backed (homogenous) vinyl flooring and floor tiles

•	Textured coating and paints containing asbestos

•	Mastics, sealants, putties and adhesives

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