Asbestos behind 3036 fuses solution needed?

[Engineer54]

Remember that all asbestos is dangerous, the difference between white, blue and brown is not really a significant issue as it can take just one asbestos fibre to cause problems.
Yes blue and brown have more spiky fibers and so have more chance of getting caught in the lungs than being expelled but any fiber could lodge in the lungs.

That said the risk from undisturbed asbestos is minimal, the flash guards being a case in point.
To remove them would generate far more risk than leaving them in place.
Any reasonable risk assessment would include procedures for not disturbing the flash guard in normal use but should not recommend removal unless the equipment is being decommissioned.

Sorry, but there ''IS'' a significant difference in the types of asbestos related to death and disease. If you have attended one of these Asbestos Awareness courses, they make that aspect very clear.

 

[Richard Burns]

Sorry, but there ''IS'' a significant difference in the types of asbestos related to death and disease. If you have attended one of these Asbestos Awareness courses, they make that aspect very clear.

I agree that blue and brown asbestos have risk levels an order of magnitude above that of white asbestos in terms of levels of exposure to the correct lengths of fine particles and that the identified risks from white asbestos are not fully quantified.
However it is fairly certain that a risk is still present for the white asbestos to cause lung problems, though generally at high concentrations of exposure.

Because that risk is present and because it is not possible to tell without analysis the type of asbestos and therefore if there are contaminants of the other types of asbestos (dependent on the source of the mineral) it is better to assume that "asbestos" in general does have a risk factor and to handle the material appropriately without taking account of the actual type, if you are considering asbestos from a layman's point of view.

However since the risk factors from undisturbed asbestos, i.e. there are no fibres present in the air, is at an absolute minimum there is no need to take extreme measures. prevention of the release of fibers is the best way to limit the risks.
Exposing asbestos removal workers to additional risk by removing the material and also presenting a potential risk to later occupants / users of an area should the containment not have been complete at the time of removal does not seems to me to be a good idea.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

having smoked 20 -30 king size smokes a day for 50 years, i don't think a few crummy asbestos flash guards can do me any harm. LOL.

Can see that making a good epitaph!

 

[Engineer54]

I agree that blue and brown asbestos have risk levels an order of magnitude above that of white asbestos in terms of levels of exposure to the correct lengths of fine particles and that the identified risks from white asbestos are not fully quantified.
However it is fairly certain that a risk is still present for the white asbestos to cause lung problems, though generally at high concentrations of exposure.

Because that risk is present and because it is not possible to tell without analysis the type of asbestos and therefore if there are contaminants of the other types of asbestos (dependent on the source of the mineral) it is better to assume that "asbestos" in general does have a risk factor and to handle the material appropriately without taking account of the actual type, if you are considering asbestos from a layman's point of view.

However since the risk factors from undisturbed asbestos, i.e. there are no fibres present in the air, is at an absolute minimum there is no need to take extreme measures. prevention of the release of fibers is the best way to limit the risks.
Exposing asbestos removal workers to additional risk by removing the material and also presenting a potential risk to later occupants / users of an area should the containment not have been complete at the time of removal does not seems to me to be a good idea.

At the end of the day here, were talking about pulling 3036 fuses in order to conduct a PIR (or whatever they call it now) So no need to touch or disturb the flash guard in anyway shape or form., why the OP is talking about removal/replacement i haven't a clue?

All i know is that, i wouldn't give pulling such fuses a second thought. You'll soon see if any extra care is required once the fuse has been pulled, ...rarely the case!!

 

[jay sean]

I went on a abestos course at work, and never knew the fibres can stay in the air for a few weeks.
With the asbestos DBs, we have a clause in our LIMs that we do not open the asbestos DBs if we suspect presence

 

[Flanders]

I went on a abestos course at work, and never knew the fibres can stay in the air for a few weeks.
With the asbestos DBs, we have a clause in our LIMs that we do not open the asbestos DBs if we suspect presence

Yes we do the same thing I have spoke to various health and safety bods and they all say the same thing "if you suspect asbestos walk away" , I myself was always working on these boards years ago but now take a much cautious approach, The older boys on this site and in the real world will disagree(and already have ) but this is were I stand on the matter :nuke:

 

[Engineer54]

I went on a abestos course at work, and never knew the fibres can stay in the air for a few weeks.
With the asbestos DBs, we have a clause in our LIMs that we do not open the asbestos DBs if we suspect presence

And did they tell you on that abestos awareness course that BS 3036 electrical DB's were so dangerous, that you shouldn't even open the door?? ....NO THEY DIDN'T!!

Why would you're company ever even bother to quote for a job involving ANY old BS 3036 DB's, if they are frightened to even open the door let alone pull a fuse, ....and oh my god to even think of performing any tests or to work on it!!!! lol!!

Yes we do the same thing I have spoke to various health and safety bods and they all say the same thing "if you suspect asbestos walk away" , I myself was always working on these boards years ago but now take a much cautious approach, The older boys on this site and in the real world will disagree(and already have ) but this is were I stand on the matter :nuke:

If you are talking about BS 3036 fuse boards, Absolute crap with a capital C!!

I've been on at least half a dozen of these HSE courses over the years, and all of them have had to state when pushed, that the perceived danger relating to the small amount of ''Glazed'' white asbestos fuse flash guard material, is at most ''Minimal''!! Nothing wrong in being cautious, but making out these old rewirable fuse boards are dangerous to your health if you pull a fuse is just perpetuating the ill informed scaremongery!!

 

[Sparky2391]

H & S Gone MAD! We wouldn't be able to touch any of the 3036 boards if we believed everything we heard!!!.... Common sense should always prevail... if there's any left around! Worked on these boards for years... and how many more of them are still out there as potential dangers?!?!?!?! Quite simple as most have said.... don't remove/disturb un-necessarily and carry on with the work. The HSE even have a guide documenting fuse box or single fuse assembly removal - a33. Regarding disposal - any local recycling centre will accept asbestos as long as you inform them of it!

 

[sparkdog]

I'll just slip into my asbestos suit,this thread is getting a bit hot.

 

[nickblake]

buggered if the fuse goes then !!

 

[Geordie Spark]

I'll just slip into my asbestos suit,this thread is getting a bit hot.

It's getting ridiculously hysterical.

If we to take notice of everything we're told is harmful we'd never get out of bed and never eat or drink anything.

 

[KAS1]

They'll soon be telling us e-gigs are harmful lol

 

[Geordie Spark]

They'll soon be telling us e-gigs are harmful lol

Looking back, I wonder sometimes how I've survived this long.

 

[KAS1]

It'll be fibre glass next, I wondered why they supplied us with masks, gloves and a 110v henry vacuum cleaner when cutting and drilling the tray on the channel tunnel all them fibres bloody nightmare lol perhaps we would all be dropping like flies by now...........without the henry..........

 

[Geordie Spark]

It'll be fibre glass next, I wondered why they supplied us with masks, gloves and a 110v henry vacuum cleaner when cutting and drilling the tray on the channel tunnel all them fibres bloody nightmare lol perhaps we would all be dropping like flies by now...........without the henry..........

Bloody awful stuff fibreglass. Give me good old honest Asbestos any day of the week.