Asbestos Safety

Asbestos in your home

Asbestos was a popular building material between the 1950s and 1990s. Its use has since been banned in the UK, because if the material is disturbed and fibres are released, it can cause serious health issues.

Many of the asbestos products commonly found in houses do not release fibres because they are in good condition or are mixed with materials that hold the asbestos fibres together. Textured wall coatings (also called Artex) and some older floor tiles are the most common asbestos products found in the home.

Please contact us on 01302 862862 and ask the asbestos team for safety advice before disturbing, drilling, scraping, or sanding any material which might contain asbestos.

This could include:
•    textured coatings covered by paints on walls and ceilings
•    old plastic floor tiles
•    bath panels
•    panels behind or under heaters
•    external soffits, gutters and down pipes

Asbestos is safe unless it is disturbed – Never attempt to remove, sand, scrape, wire brush or drill any surface or item containing asbestos.

How we manage asbestos

We will carry out an asbestos survey before any major work is done on a property to identify if any asbestos-containing materials are there which may be disturbed. We also carry out regular inspections in buildings with communal areas to make sure asbestos-containing materials are in a safe condition.

Depending on our findings, we will do one of the following:

1. Record the presence of asbestos-containing items that are in good condition, so that they can be monitored in the future.
2. Seal and bond any asbestos-containing materials that have been identified to reduce or stop the release of fibres.
3. Remove any asbestos-containing materials when required from several homes at a time as part of planned maintenance work or a scheme.
4. Remove asbestos-containing materials when identified immediately if the type, location, or condition of the asbestos is a risk to health.

We will not remove any asbestos-containing material unless absolutely necessary, as simply sealing and monitoring the material is less likely to release fibres and produce a risk.

As part of our commitment to health and safety we have produced a booklet and DIY fact sheet to tell you more about asbestos. These provide advice and guidance on the safe management of asbestos.