The British Lung Foundation (BLF) commissioned the survey as part of today’s Action Mesothelioma Day 2010, which aims to draw awareness to the deadly disease which can develop as a result of exposure to asbestos fibres.
Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer that still kills one person every five hours in Britain because it takes so long to develop – between 15 and 50 years. Asbestos can also cause a chronic lung disease, called asbestosis.
While many victims have been exposed by working in heavy industrial environments, asbestos also poses a threat to homeowners.
The BLF poll showed nearly two- thirds of DIYers were not confident about identifying asbestos-containing materials, while one in ten admittted they would try to remove it themselves if they came across it.
Typically, asbestos can be found in interior materials such as floor tiles, toilet cisterns, textured ceilings, pipe coatings and boiler cupboard linings. It’s also commonly found in old garage and shed roofs, and ageing gutters and rainwater fall pipes.
Originally it was used to make materials more rigid, insulative and fire resistant, and was used widely in house construction from the 1950s. It’s estimated around 14million homes were built when asbestos materials were being used.
Even homes built before the 1950s may contain asbestos if they have since been renovated.
Asbestos can be quite difficult to identify but householders don’t need to panic as it isn’t a risk to health unless it’s disturbed or damaged.
For example, it can be difficult to tell the difference between an asbestos-insulating board and some ordinary non-asbestos plasterboards, ceiling tiles or wall panels.
Drilling, sanding or breaking up an asbestos sheet partition wall would release a large amount of harmful fibres into the atmosphere, which can be breathed in if you’re not wearing protective clothing and a mask. Once released, fibres can remain in the house for years.
Householders who suspect there may be asbestos in their home should seek advice from their local authority or a licensed contractor, who will also be able to deal with strict disposal rules which require material to be properly packaged and delivered to a licensed disposal site.
Not dealing with known asbestos properly can lead to fines or other penalties under health and safety laws and the Control of Asbestos Regulations Act.
The general advice is that protective clothing should be worn but the safest thing to do is have the material checked by a UKAS-accredited laboratory, which can also carry out home surveys if a big refurbishment is planned and it’s feared asbestos materials are present. A survey can cost from around £100.
* Yorkshire Building Society will cheer up first-time buyers today with the launch of a 90 per cent mortgage. The First Time Buyer exclusive two-year fixed-rate product is priced at 5.99 per cent with £500 cashback and offers including no product fee, a free valuation report and legal service. It also comes with free contents and buildings insurance for the first 12 months. The mortgages are only available to first-time buyers through the Yorkshire Building Society’s branches.
* Use a properly fitted mask to the standard EN149 (type FFP3) or EN1827 (type FMP3), overalls and boot covers.
* Wash DIY clothing in a washing machine and make sure you wear a mask when dealing with it.
* If you disturb asbestos don’t use a domestic vacuum cleaner as dust may pass through the filter. Hire a special (Class H) industrial vacuum cleaner that complies with British Standards.
* Do not put asbestos waste in the dustbin – seek advice from the council about how to safely dispose of it.
Source: British Lung Foundation
