![]() The risks posed by the dangerous fibres are significant, so it’s advisable to hire a professional to move or get rid of any asbestos roof tiles rather than doing it yourself. While asbestos cement is considered low risk and no license is required to remove it, there are several safety measures when dealing with asbestos. Roof tiles containing asbestos will often have a white or grey colouring – though so do many other tiles made from safe materials! One way to determine whether your roof tiles contain asbestos is to look for an identification mark, though only one in every twenty tiles containing asbestos is marked – so this may be a tedious task! To be clear on whether or not your roof contains asbestos, you can have your tiles scientifically tested. White asbestos was most commonly used to make roof tiles, although tiles containing brown and blue asbestos exist.Īsbestos alone is pretty easy to identify, but other components in roof tiles make identification more difficult. In terms of risk level, white asbestos is the least dangerous and blue is the most however, this does not mean that white asbestos is safe. The first thing to know about asbestos is that there are three different types: If you know that your roof tiles are from the 20th century before asbestos restrictions began to come into place, the chances are that your roof tiles contain asbestos. While it is true that most cases of asbestos-related diseases arise after years of continued exposure, no amount of asbestos inhalation is safe and extreme caution is required when handling roof tiles suspected of containing asbestos. When inhaled, asbestos fibres lodge themselves in the lining of the lungs, leading to inflammation and scarring, which can cause fatal diseases like asbestosis and lung cancer. However, if disturbed, broken or mishandled, asbestos roof tiles release microscopic fibres into the atmosphere, posing a massive threat to those working with the tiles. If left alone, asbestos causes no issues. The extensive industrial use of asbestos dramatically increased the number of damaging fibres in the air, which caused the workers’ health issues. Concerns were raised in the early 20th century when the miners, builders, factory workers and other industry professionals began suffering from lung and pulmonary diseases. How Dangerous is Asbestos?Īs a naturally occurring substance, asbestos in the environment poses little to no threat to humans – problems began in the 1800s when asbestos mining commenced. Asbestos has been a banned substance in Australia since 2003, primarily due to its damaging effects on the health of the people using it. However, growing concern over its health implications saw restrictions on the use of asbestos come into place from the 1970s onwards. ![]() Asbestos is cheap, and both heat and corrosion tolerant but does not emit electric energy – it has many advantageous properties, and historically, its versatility has made it a sought-after material in the industry.īefore 1970, asbestos was the preferred material for the roofs of new homes because of its fire resistance and durability – asbestos roofs had a life expectancy of up to 50 years. What is Asbestos?Īsbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral found in soil and rocks released into the atmosphere through abrasion. But how can you identify asbestos roof tiles, how dangerous are they, and what should you do if you discover asbestos? Read on for our comprehensive guide to identifying and dealing with asbestos. Asbestos is a dreaded word in the building industry, and understandably so. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |