What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral of which is mined. It is made up of thin, microscopic fibers which can only be seen through a microscope. It is often believed that there are three types of asbestos: Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite (White, Brown, Blue) but there are actually 6 types, the final three being: Anthophyllite, Tremolite and Actinolite.

There are two categories of asbestos:

• Serpentine Fibers – Chrysotile. Known for having a wavy ‘snake like’ appearance under Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM.)

• Amphibole Fibers - Amosite, Crocidolite. Known for having a much more jagged/barbed appearance. Amphibole fibers are regarded to be more hazardous than Serpentine fibers.

Asbestos was a hugely popular choice for many building products as it offered unrivalled levels of heat resistance, strong chemical resistance, unbreakable strength and was widely available at a reasonable cost. Because of all of these beneficial factors Asbestos usage is far and wide across the UK in all building types.

Asbestos has many uses, there is currently a list of over 3000 different asbestos containing products with newly discovered asbestos products still being found today. Not all products are as obvious as others, some can be very difficult to find and this is why a competent Asbestos Surveyor should always be appointed.

Unfortunately exposure to asbestos often leads to health risks including mesothelioma, lung cancer and other illnesses.

Asbestos can be found in all types of buildings constructed before the year 2000 and therefore it is always essential to ensure a thorough asbestos survey has been carried out prior to any building works. It is also a legal requirement as per the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 that all places of work have an up to date asbestos management plan to ensure safety of staff and visitors.

If you require an asbestos survey or asbestos testing please feel free to contact us.