Asbestos and the facts

**yamahapaul** · 3rd June 2009, 21:55

Ok, following a conversation with someone at St Georges, re asbestos and face masks, respirators etc, here's some facts-

asbestos is found in a great deal of building materials up until at least the mid '80s

it is found in things as innocuous as artex (amongst many others, of which people think lagging and roofing sheets are the main concern)

asbestos is airborne

asbestos is a natural substance

asbestos causes cancer (asbestosis) and kills, maybe not now, but later on...

Wiki definition-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos

and asbestosis-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestosis

I've done an asbestos awareness course and the reality is pretty grim, to be quite honest. I didn't realise just how many products included asbestos, thinking it was just roof sheets and lagging, wrong! many building products included it and probably one of the worst culprits we'll come across is artex...

The UK proceedure is basically wetting down as walls etc are scraped (supposedly lessening the asbestos that is airborne when it is disturbed), whilst fully dressed in disposable overalls, head to toe covered and with a respirator. Following a bout of asbestos removal, a decontamination proceedure (not dis-similar to that akin to radiation) is adhered to, ie moving into a safe sterile area, ppe removed, a shower etc etc as illustrated here, in this US video-

http://www.hometime.com/Hometime_4.0...rPage/2601.php

More info can be gleaned from the BBC 'inside out' video here-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/conte..._feature.shtml

so to sum up, I'd question the usefulness of wearing a mask alone, myself....

**Emmaj** · 3rd June 2009, 23:07

jesus shit!

**arnie187** · 4th June 2009, 09:55

madness mate grim

**Indy500** · 4th June 2009, 13:16

You're right Paul...a mask in itself is pretty useless. Imagine if we all descended on a site dressed in full asbestos gear...people would think we were turning up to film 'ET2-The return of the geeky alien'

Maybe a little better than nothing... even if only psychologically for the user.

**arnie187** · 4th June 2009, 18:24

who does use a mask on an outing..just of of interest

**fezzyben** · 4th June 2009, 18:46

I have but purely for the purpose of reducing smells ie fire damaged buildings. Never bothered with a p3 as you would need to be fully kitted in the proper clothing and dispose of it by the correct methods etc. Plus you would need to shower on site to get rid of any particles in hair etc

**Indy500** · 5th June 2009, 13:00

who does use a mask on an outing..just of of interest

I do on some sites.

Aaaaaall we need to do is damp each other down...

DeathHormone · 5th June 2009, 13:25

I've been naughty and haven't even got a mask yet...I think i may have some in my garage, that are from my dads work, he works in like a chemical factory, but I don't think they are P3...but then I have no way of knowing.

How can you tell if a building does have alot of asbestos?