Before undertaking any work in a building you should ask the boss of the job whether an an asbestos survey has been carried out and is Asbestos present. If working on a non-domestic building you can ask for this information before you give a quote for the work you will be doing. If you discover that you have asbestos present you must be aware of how to handle it safely.  The first rule to remember is to avoid disturbing it until you have had an asbestos survey. The survey will discover what type of asbestos is present and who should be called to remove it.  If you haven’t had any training on removing the material it is necessary to give the job to someone else.

Asbestos Comes in Many Forms

If you are told about the asbestos you should inform everyone working with you about the material, as well as all other people working in the building.  You should not start work if you are not sure if asbestos is present, if you know it is present but don’t have a license to work with asbestos or if the material is in the form of sprayed coats, insulation, lagging on boilers or pipes and in boards.

The work can be carried out if:

• There is a suitable plan on how to work safely and you have the right equipment and are competent to carry out the work
• There is no need to be licensed to perform the work
• You have had training.

All buildings that were built before the year 2000 may contain asbestos, so there is a high chance that older buildings will contain the material. When you have been given the go ahead to work on the material you must wear the suitable equipment, such as the disposable FFP3 type of face mask, use hand tools, not eat, drink or smoke in the area. You must also remember:

• Throw away overalls and disposable clothing items properly
• Not take asbestos into your car or your home
• Wipe down overalls before taking them off
• Double bag the asbestos and label the bags
• Keep the area clean as you work

Get more information on Asbestos Training

If you need an asbestos survey or learn more about working with the material contact 0800 1488 677 to speak to health and safety consultants. Never work with asbestos if you are unsure or untrained to do so.