Asbestos Flash Guards

[gtownspark]

I'm currently quoting to carry out an EICR for a large manufacturer with approx 500 circuits to test.

During the site visit the engineer in charge pointed out that some of the old boards still had asbestos flash guards and that another well known national contractor had refused to work/test these boards as a result.

Does anyone know what the deal is with these flash guards and what risks are? I'm booked onto an asbestos awareness course but need to submit my quote before then.

Thanks

 

[johnboy6083]

if the engineer has said that other fiorms have refused the work this tells you two things.

1) there is probably a risk that they are not equipped to deal with, or they do not want to get involved with
2) you are in a stong position regarding price.

 

[gtownspark]

I think I've pretty much got the job as the the previous testing was carried out by the largest firm in the UK and they've managed to lose the customers previous test results during a 'change in software' and are once again refusing to test the older parts of the building due to the asbestos flash guards, but as the customer rightly points out, someone must be in a position to either test or upgrade these boards! And I've already had the order to do the PAT Testing

 

[Richard Burns]

You need to know the hazards of asbestos and what you can do about working near it or with it.
There can be significant health problems from asbestos and managing it is a specialised field.

That said the flash guards in CUs do not generally present a high risk IF THEY ARE UNDAMAGED.

The primary risks with asbestos is the presence of asbestos fibres in the air that can be breathed in.

These are some guidances note form the HSE regarding asbestos.
View attachment em1.pdfView attachment em2.pdf
There are further guidance notes on the HSE website. If you look at other threads searching for asbestos you may get some more information.

Protect your health make sure you know what you are doing before starting.

 

[mogga]

the Asbestos flash gaurds IMO should never be disturbed under normal conditions but an asbestos contractor should be employed to 1 confirm that they are asbestos and 2 remove and make dbs clean of asbestos before any work is carried out even removing these fuses creates danger as the vacume effect on the flash gaurds causes clouds of fibers to blow out and as these are minute and almost invisable there IMO is to much of a risk
As you have been told a national contractor has refused to test then you should take your lead from this with your quote

 

[Lighthouse Phil]

Include in your price, the cost of having an asbestos removel firm with you, who will remove the asbestos before you get to the older C.U's.
Dont risk your health, you only get one set of lungs

 

[Engineer54]

Asbestos flash guards are made from the lowest harmful grade of the stuff. The national company probably refused to test these old boards, because they knew they would have trouble from there employee electricians, nothing more!!

It used to be one of my job's in the factory shut down period, to change all the asbestos flash guards for new, and i was cutting the stuff from different sized rolls to fit...lol!! The chances are most of these old fuses are of the higher ratings, and therefore never or rarely been disturbed since they were installed.


If your that worried about pulling these old fuses, take precautionary measures and wear a decent mask, but i bet you'll not see any dust from these flash guards when you do pull them.... Do your testing and carefully replace the fuses in their carriers, there really is no need to disturb them in situ at all... I like many of the older electricians here, have pulled literary thousands open thousands of these rewireable fuses, and never gave it a second thought, even when the dangers of asbestos were known.

The real dangerous stuff is what they used to lag pipes and air ducting with, the blue and grey coloured stuff. now that asbestos is something you need to avoid...

 

[gtownspark]

Thanks for your advice guys, it's a tricky one as I want the work but don't want to damage my health. I notice the NICEIC have a follow on 1 day course from the basic awareness course for people that will knowingly disturb asbestos. I might ask the client to foot the bill in order for me to get the appropriate training

 

[netblindpaul]

Unless the NIC course is an UKATA approved course forget it.
You need an appropriate mask & other PPE if you are going to disturb the asbestos.
Are you?
You need a copy of your clients asbestos register before you quote.
You need to analyse this and act accordingly.

 

[gtownspark]

Yes the NICEIC course is run by UKATA

 

[Engineer54]

It is unlikely that you are going to need to disturb any of these fuse flash guards in undertaking this EICR on this factory. Unless you call pulling a fuse as disturbing the flash guard, i don't ...lol!!

As i said the use of a decent face mask is all you'll probably need. Far too much has been made of the dangers towards fuse flash guards, i've never given them a second thought in pulling them, doing what i need to do, and putting the fuse back and into service.

A lot of money has been made by all the various organisations involved with asbestos awareness and training facilities, which then filters across to other sectors, such as electricians that need to work on such boards and panels with rewirable fuse carriers.

I've been on two such courses the first in the early 80's, and the scaremongery they tried to fill me with about flash guards was incredible! By the time i went on the second course they had significantly come down to earth and classified it as a minimal risk area, but still seemed to be going well OTT in procedures to remove fuses and with removal of CU, DB Panels.

When i think about all the old fuse boards, sw/fuses, panels and god knows what else i've worked on with flash guards, and the amount of flash guards i've replaced during my training day's. If you would listen to some of these people, i should have died a terrible death years ago and pushing up the daisy's by now... that or being an out and out wheezing cripple...lol!!!

 

[silver surfer]

I have done a Half day Asbestos Awareness course and what really narks me about the whole asbestos thing is that if a person bought an old house that had for instance had a corrugated asbestos roof on the rear kitchen/tiolet like the old terraced houses, its ok for you to remove it yourself, double bag and take it to the local tip.
But in a commercial environment you would get hung for doing that.
If it hadnt have been brought to your attention by the client i would have said carefully remove the items wear a dust mask and double bag the stuff.
Now you probably need to take the 1/2 day course and show your certificate then do what is recommended yourself, no need for the "experts" to come in.

 

[Engineer54]

I have done a Half day Asbestos Awareness course and what really narks me about the whole asbestos thing is that if a person bought an old house that had for instance had a corrugated asbestos roof on the rear kitchen/tiolet like the old terraced houses, its ok for you to remove it yourself, double bag and take it to the local tip.
But in a commercial environment you would get hung for doing that.
If it hadnt have been brought to your attention by the client i would have said carefully remove the items wear a dust mask and double bag the stuff.
Now you probably need to take the 1/2 day course and show your certificate then do what is recommended yourself, no need for the "experts" to come in.

I'm totally confused here, ...Why would he need to remove these flash guards, and put them on double bag??

 

[silver surfer]

How do you know that any of them arent damaged, broken, splintered and need replacing with immediate effect by way of a code 1?

 

[Engineer54]

Code 1 for a damaged fuse flash guard, are you kidding or something??