Does all Artex (Decorative Textured Coating) contain asbestos
No, not all Decorative coatings contain asbestos.
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Asbestos used in decorative coatings was banned in the UK in 1992. This does not mean that a coating applied after this time may not contain asbestos.
The biggest problem is that it is hard to tell just by looking at it. The only true way to tell if it contains asbestos is to have it sampled.
It has been found that coatings on different surfaces in the same room or house can be different, one or more containing asbestos, the others not.
Are all corrugated sheets asbestos?
No, not all cement sheets contain asbestos.
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Asbestos used in cement sheeting was banned in the UK at the end of 1999. From the late 1970s, the sheeting manufacturing industry started to make "fibre cement, (FC)" as opposed to "Asbestos Cement, (AC)". The modern sheeting (FC) and this includes some roof tiles, often display a code on them containing the letters "NT" within the code referring to "New Technology" meaning no asbestos.
As with most asbestos materials, biggest problem is that it is hard to tell just by looking at it. The only true way to tell if it contains asbestos is to have it properly sampled.
it has been found that some older roofs have a mixture of FC an AC panels due to replacements over the years.
What should you do if you breath in asbestos?
Don't panic.
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A one off, low level, brief exposure to asbestos would be nothing to be overly concerned about. Don't get us wrong, any exposure to asbestos MUST be avoided at all costs, however, the following facts are presented:
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We are all exposed to asbestos every day. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, a rock which due to erosion is present in the air we breathe every day.
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Asbestos is a carcinogen, it is proven to cause cancer in our bodies. The more you are exposed to, the greater the risk.
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Everyone has a different tolerance to carcinogens. A similarity would be tobacco smoking, some smoke large numbers of cigarettes for decades yet never experience health issues, yet there are people who may never have actually smoked who go on to develop Lung Cancer, possibly due to passive smoking. Like asbestos, we would strongly avoiding any exposure to any carcinogen.
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What if you are exposed to asbestos?
if your concern is due to a recent event.
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If the exposure has just happened, come away from the material as safely yet as swiftly as possible.
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Seal off the location
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Remove potentially contained clothing carefully and if safe, bag it, or leave it in a secure or open air location away from others. DO NOT TAKE POTENTIALLY CONTAMINED CLOTHING HOME.
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Wash thoroughly with what ever means you have to hand.
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Call for assistance.
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if you are an employee, follow your companies procedures, alternatively, follow EM1 of HSG210
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Consult with your employment health department, you may need to register your exposure with your GP
What are the first signs of asbestos exposure?
There are no immediate signs or symptoms that show following exposure to asbestos.
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Diseases relating to exposure to asbestos take many years to show, this is referred to as the "latency period" which can vary from between 10 to 60 years following exposure.
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the first signs would be a cough, this primarily due to asbestos affecting the respiratory system. it must however be understood that other organs within the body can also be affected, where this is the case, a cough would not develop.
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If you legitimately have concerns based on past exposure to asbestos, the first thing that must be done is to speak with your GP/Doctor. The sooner any disease is diagnosed, the sooner something can be done.
What should i do if i find, or suspect asbestos in my house?
If you believe you have an asbestos product in your home, leave it alone. if an asbestos product is in a good condition, left alone and not disturbed, it poses very litte lif any risk, it is only when disturbed or damaged that the fibres can released.
Contact us if you what to find out. We offer several services to help you with your asbestos issues, such as self sampling kits, home visits, and advice.
We offer several solutions to identifying asbestos, the best would be to have one of our fully trained, insured and experienced surveys come and take a samples. Our surveyors will attend, 24 hr, national coverage and not only take the sample/s, but advise on what to do until the results are received.
Alternatively, if you feel confident, you could purchase one of our asbestos - home sampling kits.