Asbestos

[THE FLUTE]

Got a test to do on a large industrial premises. It has a large number of fuse boards that have what appear to be asbestos pieces behind the fuse holders. What is your view on testing them. Would you just fail it and leave every circuit un tested(as was done on the last test) or would you test the board and recommend a change of board. The previous test results look like a joke no R1/R2 readings just a tick

 

[Simlec]

If you look in your local yellow pages under "industrial electrical contractors" they will come and test it for you.

 

[HandySparks]

Provided that you don't poke them with your screwdriver, I can't see a problem.

 

[THE FLUTE]

If you look in your local yellow pages under "industrial electrical contractors" they will come and test it for you.

Well as I am 2391 qualified been testing a fair while I am planning on doing t myself. I can't do a worse job than the last company. They didn't even record R1 R2 this is one of the sheets.

 

[snowhead]

The first course of action would be to consult the Site Asbestos register.

If that shows nothing or doesn't exist, suggest to the person responsbile for the site that they at least have the "suspected" asbestos in the fuse board checked.

The arguement for testing would be to avoid the embarrassing situation of the Responsible person standing up in court trying to argue it was too expensive and or inconvenient to have the tests done as a defence against prosecution for serious injury or death of employees or persons occupying adjacent buildings

 

[7029 dave]

Good post Snowhead, I would also look at the HSE website, will give you all the info you need.

 

[Simlec]

Yes Flute, but you have basically condemned the installation before you have even tested it!

 

[Kate]

Wow. I am currently doing this for one of my jobs. Industrial testing..numerous fuseboards with asbestos. I tested first. I condemned 2 of the DBs for seperate reasons, so these are being fully isolated NOT replaced. therefore in this situation test first was the right route.

I also had previous test results...dont rely on them much. Fuse types and ratings didnt match what was actually there so I was skeptical to reference them at all.

 

[Engineer54]

I should be long dead and buried if you listen to all this scaremongering that goes on with these tiny bits of glazed white asbestos wading behind the fuses. As an apprentice, i have changed/replaced those wading strips on literally thousands of those fuses and fuse boards. To this day, i wouldn't give working on one of those old fuse boards a second thought.

Listening to these scaremongers, they will have you believe that pulling a single fuse will be like writing your own death warrant. It's the Blue and Grey asbestos that's the REAL nasty stuff, basically what they used for lagging pipes and ducts in the old days!!

 

[ipf]

Why do people panic......scaremongering. Mountains and molehills, again.

 

[Risteard]

Well as I am 2391 qualified been testing a fair while I am planning on doing t myself. I can't do a worse job than the last company. They didn't even record R1 R2 this is one of the sheets.

There appear to be two ring final circuits where ring continuity has not been confirmed, but otherwise it doesn't look too bad. Not sure why they didn't quantify the measurements of R2, but why do you feel (R1+R2) measurements would be required in addition to R2? Either is fine.

 

[Dizzy_Maskell]

There is guidance notes in this may have been mentioned already no time to read all the oust look on HSE website think A01 A02 ring a bell but follow this and can't go wrong.
Ultimately don't test the thing

 

[MDJ]

They didn't even record R1 R2 this is one of the sheets


or much else by the look of it, no R2 reading either just the word pass lol

[/QUOTE]

 

[Engineer54]

Got a test to do on a large industrial premises. It has a large number of fuse boards that have what appear to be asbestos pieces behind the fuse holders. What is your view on testing them. Would you just fail it and leave every circuit un tested(as was done on the last test) or would you test the board and recommend a change of board. The previous test results look like a joke no R1/R2 readings just a tick

To be honest i don't know why you took the job on, if you're that afraid to even pull a fuse in one of these older fuse boards. Why not pass the work on to a qualified electrician that doesn't listen to, or affected by the out of place scaremongering that goes on concerning these older fuse boards!!

 

[Guest111]

To be honest i don't know why you took the job on, if you're that afraid to even pull a fuse in one of these older fuse boards. Why not pass the work on to a qualified electrician that doesn't listen to, or affected by the out of place scaremongering that goes on concerning these older fuse boards!!

Totally agree,statistically you,ve probably got more chance of being struck by lightening than being harmed with these boards,it,s not like he's doing it all day every day is it,plus what would he do if a fuse needed replacing?