Asbestos cables????? Rewire periodic inspection

[Daniel Jones]

Experts opinion required.

Ask to add some addition fittings to a lighting circuit within a shop. Opened up the consumer unit to access the circuit. And noticed the tails from the service head to the meter and from the meter to the consumer unit look very suspicious. I have experience with cables that have a similar appearance and these have been asbestos.

What's your opinions. And what should my next step be?

 

[MFS Electrical]

They look like VIRs And if they are they should definitely be replaced. Not ever heard of them being asbestos as far as I’m lead to believe how were the other cables you mention confirmed to be asbestos?

 

[Nigel]

If your works will not involve the disturbing of those tails then they are no business if yours and you need not worry.

 

[MJPD29]

I don't think they are asbestos containing

 

[Nigel]

They are VIRs they should definitely be replaced but they aren’t asbestos

Why would they need replacing under the Ops scope of works?

 

[Nigel]

I don't think they are asbestos containing

‘Think’ does not cut it. If there is a suspicion then the Op is doing the correct thing treating them with caution.

 

[MJPD29]

‘Think’ does not cut it. If there is a suspicion then the Op is doing the correct thing treating them with caution.

Ok mate, just offering an opinion...

 

[MFS Electrical]

Why would they need replacing under the Ops scope of works?

Not under the scope of works per se, but a word with the client about VIRs serviceable lifespan and degradation would be an appropriate conversation to have

 

[Daniel Jones]

They look like VIRs And if they are they should definitely be replaced. Not ever heard of them being asbestos as far as I’m lead to believe how were the other cables you mention confirmed to be asbestos?

A specialist company was employed. Who verified it through sample tests.

 

[MFS Electrical]

A specialist company was employed. Who verified it through sample tests.

That’s an eye opener and every day is a school day where they VIR cables with asbestos cloth or just asbestos insulated or what??

 

[Daniel Jones]

Not under the scope of works per se, but a word with the client about VIRs serviceable lifespan and degradation would be an appropriate conversation to have

I have brought this to the clients attention. Future works could be replacing the consumer unit. As in a poor condition. Mismatched Mcbs and circuit being doubled up in 1 mcb

 

[Nigel]

I have brought this to the clients attention. Future works could be replacing the consumer unit. As in a poor condition. Mismatched Mcbs and circuit being doubled up in 1 mcb

Oh you have opened up a can of worms now.

 

[MFS Electrical]

Makes me wonder now if the hundreds of tails like this I ripped out whilst with a previous employer where asbestos

 

[SparkyChick]

A specialist company was employed. Who verified it through sample tests.

Don't suppose you have any pictures of them do you?

Asbestos in cables wasn't something that came up when I did my asbestos awareness and non-licensed works training (fuse boxes, yes, cabling no), a picture may be nice to pass on to the training company.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

No, these are normal VIR cables which do not contain asbestos. Rubber insulation overbraided with cotton impregnated with a preservative compound. Asbestos was only used where heat-resistance was required, i.e. not in normal installation cables.

I've got lots of asbestos-insulated cables of all kinds, as they were common in theatre lighting equipment due to the temperatures involved, and certain older switchgear and appliances. Most of them 'look' like asbestos, typically they are not impregnated and quite friable. I can post pics later.

 

[SparkyChick]

No, these are normal VIR cables which do not contain asbestos. Rubber insulation overbraided with cotton impregnated with a preservative compound. Asbestos was only used where heat-resistance was required, i.e. not in normal installation cables.

I've got lots of asbestos-insulated cables of all kinds, as they were common in theatre lighting equipment due to the temperatures involved, and certain older switchgear and appliances. Most of them 'look' like asbestos, typically they are not impregnated and quite friable. I can post pics later.

Awesome, thanks.

 

[MFS Electrical]

No, these are normal VIR cables which do not contain asbestos. Rubber insulation overbraided with cotton impregnated with a preservative compound. Asbestos was only used where heat-resistance was required, i.e. not in normal installation cables.

I've got lots of asbestos-insulated cables of all kinds, as they were common in theatre lighting equipment due to the temperatures involved, and certain older switchgear and appliances. Most of them 'look' like asbestos, typically they are not impregnated and quite friable. I can post pics later.

Were they always quite friable or have they degraded over time? Just curious as to how useful they’d be if they were always quite crumbly?

 

[SparkyChick]

Were they always quite friable or have they degraded over time? Just curious as to how useful they’d be if they were always quite crumbly?

If it's anything like the length of asbestos pipe lagging my Dad has hanging up in his garage, it'll be like a coarsely wound rope with visible fibres. Kind of like 7 or so thicker strands spun from the fibres and then wrapped into a twisted rope.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

They have tended to degrade a bit with time but some were always a little fluffy. This pic shows, amongst other cables in the tub, a couple of asbestos-containing 3-core sheathed flexibles of which the black, impregnated variety is not unlike VIR in appearance, the beige non-impregnated one less so. These were used on theatre lighting fixtures into the 1970s.

 

[MFS Electrical]

They have tended to degrade a bit with time but some were always a little fluffy. This pic shows, amongst other cables in the tub, a couple of asbestos-containing 3-core sheathed flexibles of which the black, impregnated variety is not unlike VIR in appearance, the beige non-impregnated one less so. These were used on theatre lighting fixtures into the 1970s.

View attachment 45071

Those 3 cores really do look like VIRs it’s easy to see how a mix up could happen