Discuss Is this asbestos? Or Not? in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net
Licking it would be ok, its snorting it you have to worry about.Don't lick it.
there are many training courses available but the most common are either a 1 day or 1/2 day course. The 1 day course is asbestos awareness with additional training allowing you to work with non licensed material. The 1/2 day course is just an awareness course. I have completed both courses. I highly recommend the full 1 day course. This enables you to get a good understanding of whats involved in asbestos and guidance on how to deal with it, yourself or if necessary by a licensed contractor.It doesn't cost much to have it tested so you're sure.
@SparkyChick is probably a good person to talk about it. I know she posted about going on training and having things tested fairly recently.
On topic at the moment is any thermal insulating materials that could be carcinogenic.MDF fibers will likely be the next big thing.
MDF fibers will likely be the next big thing.
....The scary thing is most of us (at least around 30+) have probably ingested into our lungs more than too much asbestos over the years. Based on the lack of awareness prior to the late 90's early 00's the health department expects a significant number of carcinogenic related deaths to increase dramatically for the next 20-30 years due to us lot breathing in all this crap without realising it.
Spot on and very informative there Sparky Chick!That and silica... silicosis is high on the agenda.
I second what @Intoelectrics said about the non-licensed works training. It's very handy to know how to properly and safely deal with it, but be warned your usual business insurance may not cover you (and insurance that does is eye wateringly expensive).
If you are at all unsure get it tested. I would agree with @ruston , it looks like vermiculite and as such should not be anything to worry about apart from silica dust.
It's also worth pointing out that if you're working on properties that were built before the year 2000 (IIRC), I believe it's a legal obligation to have gone through asbestos awareness training.
For all my asbestos issues I deal with a local company that specialises in it. I can ring them any time and seek guidance and as a consequence I push all the testing I have clients do their way.
If you need to do non-licensed works, you have to have suitable training even though the HSE provide excellent guidance documents that you should stick to rigidly. And keep in mind some non-licensed work are notifiable to the relevant authority (such as the removal of large amounts of artex using gelling) which then requires you to undertake a respiratory medical regularly and keep the records for 50 years I believe.
The company I deal with for everything else asbestos related (overalls, disposal bags, equipment hire etc.) are SMH Products (IIRC) and they have branches all over the place. Prices are pretty reasonable, I hired a class H vacuum from them for drilling/cutting artex ceilings and walls, well worth it compared to the pasting method you can use as it saves a lot of time.
But the key advice is if you are uncertain, get it tested. It's not your problem if (as one of my clients did after I requested she have the insulation in the loft checked) they have asbestos in the ceiling of every room in the form of artex for example. If you don't and it turns out you inadvertently find some and release fibres, then the fines can be astronomical... if the HSE are paying attention.
To clarify that last comment... I reported a possible release of asbestos fibres to the HSE as a house I know to have asbestos present in nearly every wall and ceiling (I know this because I rewired it and had to drill and cut it) has recently undergone major renovations, the waste from which was simply left in the front garden like normal uncontaminated building waste. The HSE did nothing, as far as I can tell, they didn't even send someone to the site to look at it.
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