So you need to get an asbestos survey, and you’ve heard of asbestos in the news. You may know that asbestos is very harmful, but you don’t really know what it is.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral made up of long, thin fibrous crystals. It is still mined today in countries such as Russia, Canada, India, China and Kazakhstan.

In the late 19th century, asbestos became popular because of its resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damage, its sound absorption and tensile strength. It was therefore added to many different material to take advantage of these properties, such as cement to make corrugated roofing and fire-retardant products. Asbestos fibres are long and strong enough to be woven into fabrics, ropes etc. and can also be added to plastics to give them the above properties. Thousands of different products have had asbestos added to them. Click here for more information.

Three main types of asbestos have been used in the UK – chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite (white, brown and blue). Chrysotile is by far the most common.

So you now know why asbestos has been used, so why is it so harmful? Imagine asbestos mineral fibres as microscopic needles. If a person were to breathe those needles in, they would travel far down into the lungs. When that person breathed out, those asbestos needles would not come out because they would be lodged inside.

The human body cannot break down asbestos, so instead it forms a scar around each fibre or needle. This then may lead to asbestosis or mesothelioma both of which are fatal. Cruelly asbestos related diseases don’t generally present until 25 to 50 years after exposure.

The use, importation and sale of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999. This means that any building in the UK constructed prior to 1999 (Nov) may contain asbestos. However buildings constructed after 1992 which came under the CDM Regulations umbrella, should have a health and safety file which should give details of any asbestos containing materials used. However unless the H&S file clearly states that no asbestos products were used then it shouldn’t be assumed that none were.

For further information regarding the types of materials and products that may contain asbestos, click here.