Asbestos can be very harmful. The UK government estimates that approximately 20 tradespeople die every week because of past asbestos exposure.
If you’re going to do building work to a property, it’s your responsibility to make sure that an up-to-date asbestos survey has been done. This is to safeguard both the building users and the contractors working on it. Building professionals will usually refuse to work on buildings containing exposed asbestos. You could also get prosecuted if it’s proved that your building is a safety risk.
If you think your building doesn’t contain asbestos, it’s understandable that you could be reluctant to get a survey carried out. However, it is still worth getting one done. To give you an idea about why we’ve come up with 3 reasons why you should get an asbestos survey.
1. Asbestos can’t be detected without testing
Just looking at a wall or piece of insulation board will not tell you if it contains asbestos. Many asbestos products, such as flooring, insulation and wall coatings and boards, may look exactly like asbestos-free items. Professional testing is the only way to precisely determine whether asbestos is present or not.
2. New buildings aren’t always asbestos-free
Asbestos has been banned from construction materials for more than 15 years. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still turn up. If a new building has been built with old supplies that have been in storage for years, it could contain asbestos. This is especially likely to happen if the building has period features fitted or post-construction enhancement. So while old buildings are more likely to contain asbestos than newer ones, you cannot make any assumptions.
3. Asbestos management isn’t always expensive
If asbestos has been discovered in a building, there are several ways of dealing with it. So regardless of your budget, it’s generally possible to find an affordable management plan to minimise the risk. Often, something as easy as painting an exposed surface area or fitting a hanging ceiling beneath a roof containing asbestos insulation is sufficient. So do not shy away through dealing with asbestos; speak to a specialist to work out a way to handle it.
So while it may be a pain, if you’re doing building work you should definitely ensure that you have an up-to-date asbestos survey. This will ensure the health and safety of everybody in and around the structure and keep you on the right side of the law.