HSE Asbestos Campaign

[AMc]

I listen to XFM and HSE are running an awareness campaign about the dangers of asbestos.
I knew asbestos was dangerous but I had no idea that more people died from the effects of exposure than die as a result of road accidents - 4000 a year of them apparently.

I begrudged the £600 I had to spend on getting my asbestos survey done when it discovered only an asbestos reinforced bath panel and an asbestos reinforced concrete water tank (which was labelled as such) with no danger of fibre release but now I can see why it was a sensible thing to do.

Given we all live or work on 'buildings built before 2000' I thought I'd add a link to the site to raise a bit of awareness.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/index.htm

Campaign leaflet
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/hiddenkiller.pdf

Lets be careful out there!

 

[Pford75]

Agreed...and I can attest from personal experience, that it's not always obvious where asbestos may be lurking. We are all familiar with the sheeting, but I had never realise that some vinyl floor tiles had asbestos backing.

 

[Gervase]

I have a good friend who has the clock ticking because of exposure to asbestos nearly 30 years ago. It's not something to be taken lightly, despite the insane rantings of people like Christopher Booker in the Telegraph.

 

[Nemesis]

And, unfortunately, some here in the past.

 

[Flyfisher]

Not to be taken lightly indeed, but neither is there need to panic.
http://www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk

 

[Nemesis]

I wouldn't believe all you read on that site either, but there you go.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/items/01/2006_42_wed.shtml

http://www.cieh.org/ehn/ehn3.aspx?id=2637

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1531446/Christopher-Booker's-Notebook.html

 

[Flyfisher]

I agree. A healthy skepticism is generally a good idea. I'm no asbestos expert so all this conflicting information is confusing.

Seems to me it can be dangerous, the risks can be controlled, yet some people/companies will take advantage of people's concern.
So nothing new there then.

 

[chuckey]

As mentioned the people who are dieing now are the people who contracted the disease 30 years ago. In those days there was much more loose asbestos fibre about, mainly as lagging and sealing for boilers and the such like. Once the fibres are bound to cement as in "asbestos panels" they are relatively safe.
Frank

 

[Nemesis]

Until of course they are released when the stuff is disturbed/damaged. It takes many years for the problems to show.

It's a nasty way to die.

 

[AMc]

(From another thread reposted for searches etc.)

Details on how to do various tasks safely are here....
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/index.htm

PDF link to protective clothing here...
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/em6.pdf

Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
Suitable types of RPE:
- disposable respirator to standards EN149 (type FFP3) or EN1827 (type FMP3);
- half mask respirator (to standard EN140) with P3 filter; or
- semi-disposable respirator (to EN405) with P3 filter.