Builder smashing up asbestos garage roof
Discussion
f
king hell. I don't know who the bigger is; the builder or the next-door-but-one neighbour. Asbestos related mesothelioma (an otherwise very rare form of lung cancer, or rather a cancer around the lung) can have a latency period of 20-50 years and a single exposure is enough. If you have children, keep them away from the area where the work was done, probably until there's been some rain. Not only that, but the fkwitted builder is also putting his family at risk. Fibres from the clothing of asbestos workers can also cause be inhaled by those around them or who handle the contaminated clothes, i.e. his wife and children at home. Asbestosis, an inflammatory condition also caused by asbestos, isn't a cancer unlike mesothelioma, but it is also disabling and lethal in its own right. Its latency is similar to that of mesothelioma and poses the same danger to the builder's family.
Selfishness, ignorance and utter stupidy of some people is shocking. He should be in deep st for this but I wouldn't hold my breath.
king hell. I don't know who the bigger is; the builder or the next-door-but-one neighbour. Asbestos related mesothelioma (an otherwise very rare form of lung cancer, or rather a cancer around the lung) can have a latency period of 20-50 years and a single exposure is enough. If you have children, keep them away from the area where the work was done, probably until there's been some rain. Not only that, but the fkwitted builder is also putting his family at risk. Fibres from the clothing of asbestos workers can also cause be inhaled by those around them or who handle the contaminated clothes, i.e. his wife and children at home. Asbestosis, an inflammatory condition also caused by asbestos, isn't a cancer unlike mesothelioma, but it is also disabling and lethal in its own right. Its latency is similar to that of mesothelioma and poses the same danger to the builder's family.Selfishness, ignorance and utter stupidy of some people is shocking. He should be in deep s
t for this but I wouldn't hold my breath.Definitely report him. If it wasn't asbestos, then i'm sure he'll be happy to explain that to the relevant authorities. However, judging by the age of building and type of material, i'd be very surprised if it didn't contain asbestos.
I worked (briefly) for an asbestos removal contractor and was amazed by the blasé attitude of the guys doing the work. The company provided all the equipment and didn't everything by the book, but once in the work area (sectioned off), you'd see them removing their masks to have a smoke! However, at least they were only damaging themselves, clowns like you've witnessed are putting lots of others people's health at risk and deserve to have the book thrown at them.
The thing I really don't understand is why he was breaking it up. It's much sager and easier to transport in sheet form, which leads me to suspect it's probably already ended up in a field somewhere, or in with uncontrolled waste, where even more people could be put at risk by exposure to it.
I worked (briefly) for an asbestos removal contractor and was amazed by the blasé attitude of the guys doing the work. The company provided all the equipment and didn't everything by the book, but once in the work area (sectioned off), you'd see them removing their masks to have a smoke! However, at least they were only damaging themselves, clowns like you've witnessed are putting lots of others people's health at risk and deserve to have the book thrown at them.
The thing I really don't understand is why he was breaking it up. It's much sager and easier to transport in sheet form, which leads me to suspect it's probably already ended up in a field somewhere, or in with uncontrolled waste, where even more people could be put at risk by exposure to it.
I have not long finished an asbestos course, it was very interesting i actually never knew it is a natural material that is mined and is still used and mined in many countries through out the world.
The cement board on roofs is very low risk and you can remove it yourself if you have had training and wear the correct PPE, you do not need licensed removal for it.
Adding water is a myth some asbestos is hygroscopic and will suck up large amounts of water and some is hydrophobic and will repel water so spraying it will do nothing. The solution to spay with is a PVA type
The risk to anyone health other then the idiots breaking it up in minimum it has a very low fibre release. It is however a s
tty un responsible thing to do and they should be reported to the HSE. Even more annoying is i am just forking to 20k to have some professionally removed.
SS
Edited by silversurfer1 on Friday 29th July 19:58
silversurfer1 said:
I have not long finished an asbestos course, the cement board on roofs is very low risk and you can remove it yourself if you have had training and wear the correct PPE
You do not need licensed removal for it.
The risk to anyone health other then the idiots breaking it up in minimum it has a very low fibre release. It is however a stty un responsible thing to do and they should be reported to the HSE.
Even more annoying is i am just forking to 20k to have some professionally removed.
SS
You might have just finished 'a course', but I've been working in the Asbestos industry for over 15 years and I can tell you directly that it certainly has much more than 'very low fibre release' when you smash it to fYou do not need licensed removal for it.
The risk to anyone health other then the idiots breaking it up in minimum it has a very low fibre release. It is however a s
tty un responsible thing to do and they should be reported to the HSE. Even more annoying is i am just forking to 20k to have some professionally removed.
SS
k with a hammer.a7x88 said:
Holy crap. The cement sheets are one of the *safer* forms until you start smashing them to pieces. I had a similar garage in my back garden that I took down, but;
A) continuously kept them soaked with water and washing up liquid mix
B) kept them whole
C) wore a disposable suit and asbestos suitable dust mask
D) double wrapped it all and had an appointment booked with our recycling centre to get rid of it safely
Report him.
that is , as I understand it the best practice with sheet , any other type and the full three ring circus with approved contractors tents , the shower truck etc etc A) continuously kept them soaked with water and washing up liquid mix
B) kept them whole
C) wore a disposable suit and asbestos suitable dust mask
D) double wrapped it all and had an appointment booked with our recycling centre to get rid of it safely
Report him.
silvagod said:
silversurfer1 said:
I have not long finished an asbestos course, the cement board on roofs is very low risk and you can remove it yourself if you have had training and wear the correct PPE
You do not need licensed removal for it.
The risk to anyone health other then the idiots breaking it up in minimum it has a very low fibre release. It is however a stty un responsible thing to do and they should be reported to the HSE.
Even more annoying is i am just forking to 20k to have some professionally removed.
SS
You might have just finished 'a course', but I've been working in the Asbestos industry for over 15 years and I can tell you directly that it certainly has much more than 'very low fibre release' when you smash it to fYou do not need licensed removal for it.
The risk to anyone health other then the idiots breaking it up in minimum it has a very low fibre release. It is however a s
tty un responsible thing to do and they should be reported to the HSE. Even more annoying is i am just forking to 20k to have some professionally removed.
SS
k with a hammer.mickk said:
I've got one of these roofs on my garage, will be taking it down to make way for an extension soon.
Not looking forward to it.
Why wouldn't you get a proper company in to do it go away for he entire day it's being done. A friend had his whole old garage taken down I cannot remember the exact number but think it was sub £1k take down and take the stuff to the official disposal. Not looking forward to it.
Welshbeef said:
mickk said:
I've got one of these roofs on my garage, will be taking it down to make way for an extension soon.
Not looking forward to it.
Why wouldn't you get a proper company in to do it go away for he entire day it's being done. A friend had his whole old garage taken down I cannot remember the exact number but think it was sub £1k take down and take the stuff to the official disposal. Not looking forward to it.
You can go on a day course and do it yourself, the PPE is available from Screwfix.
There is no excuse for what the builder has done.
Rickyy said:
Welshbeef said:
mickk said:
I've got one of these roofs on my garage, will be taking it down to make way for an extension soon.
Not looking forward to it.
Why wouldn't you get a proper company in to do it go away for he entire day it's being done. A friend had his whole old garage taken down I cannot remember the exact number but think it was sub £1k take down and take the stuff to the official disposal. Not looking forward to it.
You can go on a day course and do it yourself, the PPE is available from Screwfix.
There is no excuse for what the builder has done.
Welshbeef said:
Why wouldn't you get a proper company in to do it go away for he entire day it's being done. A friend had his whole old garage taken down I cannot remember the exact number but think it was sub £1k take down and take the stuff to the official disposal.
I'll probably go down this route but as the op found out you have to keep an eye on these pesky builders. QuickQuack said:
fking hell. I don't know who the bigger is; the builder or the next-door-but-one neighbour. Asbestos related mesothelioma (an otherwise very rare form of lung cancer, or rather a cancer around the lung) can have a latency period of 20-50 years and a single exposure is enough. If you have children, keep them away from the area where the work was done, probably until there's been some rain. Not only that, but the fkwitted builder is also putting his family at risk. Fibres from the clothing of asbestos workers can also cause be inhaled by those around them or who handle the contaminated clothes, i.e. his wife and children at home. Asbestosis, an inflammatory condition also caused by asbestos, isn't a cancer unlike mesothelioma, but it is also disabling and lethal in its own right. Its latency is similar to that of mesothelioma and poses the same danger to the builder's family.
Selfishness, ignorance and utter stupidy of some people is shocking. He should be in deep st for this but I wouldn't hold my breath.
All true, but white asbestos is fairly benign in comparison with blue is it not? I was a child of about seven when my parents had a double garage built of timber and sheet cement/asbestos. It was summer, warm and dry, and they cut the stuff with wood saws - dry. I was hanging around the job as kids do and as yet have not succumbed many years down the line. A friend of mine worked with blue asbestos for some years and is now, decades later, still well and aged 75. It appears to be something of a lottery.king hell. I don't know who the bigger is; the builder or the next-door-but-one neighbour. Asbestos related mesothelioma (an otherwise very rare form of lung cancer, or rather a cancer around the lung) can have a latency period of 20-50 years and a single exposure is enough. If you have children, keep them away from the area where the work was done, probably until there's been some rain. Not only that, but the fkwitted builder is also putting his family at risk. Fibres from the clothing of asbestos workers can also cause be inhaled by those around them or who handle the contaminated clothes, i.e. his wife and children at home. Asbestosis, an inflammatory condition also caused by asbestos, isn't a cancer unlike mesothelioma, but it is also disabling and lethal in its own right. Its latency is similar to that of mesothelioma and poses the same danger to the builder's family.Selfishness, ignorance and utter stupidy of some people is shocking. He should be in deep s
t for this but I wouldn't hold my breath.mickk said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Is a grand a lot of money for this? 2 licensed blokes a days work and correct removing and disposal.Not sure.
My Council used to take it but now they insist it's put into bags and "posted" into a skip meaning you have to break the sheets up and will only take around 3 sheets per visit.
33q said:
I bought a BTL five years ago with an asbestos garage.
I had it taken down by a proper registered firm. I still kept well away whilst it was being done.
Cost about £600 and well worth it in my view
Registered to what?! I had it taken down by a proper registered firm. I still kept well away whilst it was being done.
Cost about £600 and well worth it in my view
Yes asbestos CAN be nasty stuff, it can also be worked with pretty safely with some sensible precautions, and many council tips will accept it. Fiber cement boards are one of the safest forms of the material, as the cement holds the fibers into bigger clumps which wont penetrate the lungs.
OP - I wouldnt worry. You did the right thing by closing doors and windows, but you'll be fine now. The chances of any fibers hanging around is minimal, and any rain will dampen any dust which may be left. If I was your neighbour Id be pretty unimpressed, but mainly because there is no need to smash the f
k out of them when they can be safely carried away whole, or in halves without much risk. Condi said:
33q said:
I bought a BTL five years ago with an asbestos garage.
I had it taken down by a proper registered firm. I still kept well away whilst it was being done.
Cost about £600 and well worth it in my view
Registered to what?! I had it taken down by a proper registered firm. I still kept well away whilst it was being done.
Cost about £600 and well worth it in my view
Yes asbestos CAN be nasty stuff, it can also be worked with pretty safely with some sensible precautions, and many council tips will accept it. Fiber cement boards are one of the safest forms of the material, as the cement holds the fibers into bigger clumps which wont penetrate the lungs.
OP - I wouldnt worry. You did the right thing by closing doors and windows, but you'll be fine now. The chances of any fibers hanging around is minimal, and any rain will dampen any dust which may be left. If I was your neighbour Id be pretty unimpressed, but mainly because there is no need to smash the f
k out of them when they can be safely carried away whole, or in halves without much risk. It would seem I should have used the word 'Accredited' not 'Registered'......my humble apologies
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