The Dangers of Asbestos Roofing
In the late 20th century, many industrial buildings were constructed with fibre cement roofing sheets containing white asbestos (also known as Chrysotile Asbestos). At the time, little was known about the dangers of exposure to asbestos and what it could do to the human body. By the time the use of asbestos was banned in December 2003, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide had died or suffered long-term lung damage from exposure to the material.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral - there are six different types of asbestos, although Chrysotile, or white asbestos, is the one which is most commonly used for roofing applications. Inhalation of the fibres can lead to serious illnesses such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer, even death. Smokers who are exposed to asbestos are found to be at more risk than non-smokers, and it's thought that this is due to the already significant damage caused to a smokers lungs.
Protecting Yourself from Asbestos
Asbestos can be hard to spot and almost impossible to identify by colour alone. It usually requires a professional survey to be carried out by an industrial roofing company, to determine whether the material is present in your roof. Because asbestos fibres are so tiny, they're invisible to the naked eye, so you can't avoid breathing them in. An asbestos roof can release fibres when damaged or if left to deteriorate, so it's important to regularly maintain your roof or consider replacing it if it is severely damaged. You can't fully protect yourself from inhalation of the fibres by wearing a face mask, so if you need asbestos roof repairs, it's vital that you hire an experienced industrial roofing contractor to carry out a survey and complete the work.
Your Responsibilities
Owners of industrial buildings with asbestos roofing or other hazardous materials have a duty under the 2012 Control of Asbestos Regulations to manage asbestos on their premises - you need to ensure you're aware of areas where asbestos is present and maintain those areas so that the asbestos does not deteriorate. In many cases, this will require asbestos roofing replacement, carried out by a skilled expert roofing contractor. If your employees are likely to come into contact with asbestos, you also need to provide yearly training for them.
Conclusion
Asbestos roofing can be extremely dangerous if not maintained and left to deteriorate, so it's important to identify the type of asbestos present with a survey and maintain your building's roof, arranging for a replacement roof if there is a risk to your health or that of your workers.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral - there are six different types of asbestos, although Chrysotile, or white asbestos, is the one which is most commonly used for roofing applications. Inhalation of the fibres can lead to serious illnesses such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer, even death. Smokers who are exposed to asbestos are found to be at more risk than non-smokers, and it's thought that this is due to the already significant damage caused to a smokers lungs.
Protecting Yourself from Asbestos
Asbestos can be hard to spot and almost impossible to identify by colour alone. It usually requires a professional survey to be carried out by an industrial roofing company, to determine whether the material is present in your roof. Because asbestos fibres are so tiny, they're invisible to the naked eye, so you can't avoid breathing them in. An asbestos roof can release fibres when damaged or if left to deteriorate, so it's important to regularly maintain your roof or consider replacing it if it is severely damaged. You can't fully protect yourself from inhalation of the fibres by wearing a face mask, so if you need asbestos roof repairs, it's vital that you hire an experienced industrial roofing contractor to carry out a survey and complete the work.
Your Responsibilities
Owners of industrial buildings with asbestos roofing or other hazardous materials have a duty under the 2012 Control of Asbestos Regulations to manage asbestos on their premises - you need to ensure you're aware of areas where asbestos is present and maintain those areas so that the asbestos does not deteriorate. In many cases, this will require asbestos roofing replacement, carried out by a skilled expert roofing contractor. If your employees are likely to come into contact with asbestos, you also need to provide yearly training for them.
Conclusion
Asbestos roofing can be extremely dangerous if not maintained and left to deteriorate, so it's important to identify the type of asbestos present with a survey and maintain your building's roof, arranging for a replacement roof if there is a risk to your health or that of your workers.