asbestos

[atm84]

So how do the domestic electricians amongst us deal with the silent killer. As I am sure most of you will be aware that domestic properties built pre 1997 is very likely to have asbestos in it. Art ex ceilings are one of the most common sources.

So what do you do when Mrs Jones wants some lovely recessed lights fitting etc? Or some floor tiles need lifting or holes need drilling etc.

Just wondering what most of you do. Do you turn a blind eye and hope it goes away, not wanting to upset the customer or do you ask them for an asbestos survey to be carried out.

 

[Engineer54]

In response to Engineer's last statement, I was informed that many ppl may have asbestosis and may die from other problems, therefore the asbestosis isn't recorded on the death certificate as it wasn't the final cause of death.

By all means, you can continue with your blasee attitude towards it but I will always take the necessary precautions.

Who said anything about not taking precautions?? I take precautions every day, every day i come up against perceivable situations that could be harmful or even life threatening, it's always been the same on every building site anywhere in the world. I'm not being blase about the awareness of asbestos either, when talking about the areas where real danger exists. Just don't try and tell me that 3036 fuse boards kill umpteen electricians every year from them pulling fuses in the past, because they bloody well Don't!!

As for your statement above, the same can be said of many Cancer sufferers and other ailments, more often than not, they too die from complications, not the cancer itself. One things for sure, i'm not going to be spending the rest of my years that i may have left, worrying about what i might or might not die from!!

If you are really that worried and want a safe or safer environment to work in, why the hell did you become an electrical tradesman?? There are far, far safer working environments out there where you wouldn't have to worry about anything to do with asbestos, or the many other perceivable dangerous aspects of working in the building trade....

 

[atm84]

Enginner54 I was on about asbestos in fuses so don't start spouting that one.

If you read the op I was concerned with recessed lights in artex ceilings where considerable amounts of dust get blown about.

For your information I started my electrical apprenticeship 15 years ago where asbestos awareness even then wasn't well informed. Yes we did it at college but as a 16 year old you just do as your told and with many more ppl like you in the industry who live with the attitude of 'it won't happen to me' then you start to adopt that attitude yourself.

I am now office based so I could say that I'm not personally affected by asbestos however I feel that I still have a duty of care and still care about the safety and health of others.

 

[atm84]

In addition we mainly work on new build commercial projects so the exposure is minimal anyway but like has already been said it takes only 1 fibre to plant the seed of death.

 

[Engineer54]

For your information I started my electrical apprenticeship 15 years ago where asbestos awareness even then wasn't well informed.

Really, ...i beg to differ, Asbestos awareness and it's strict removal procedures has been well know for considerably longer than 15 years. In fact i can honestly say that i've attended at least two and maybe 3 HSE Asbestos awareness seminars before 2000....

Oh, and you are mistaken, as i stated earlier i am NOT in any way, shape or form, blase about the dangers of Asbestos. I am more than aware of my obligations to both myself and others....

 

[UNG]

Enginner54 I was on about asbestos in fuses so don't start spouting that one.

If you read the op I was concerned with recessed lights in artex ceilings where considerable amounts of dust get blown about.

For your information I started my electrical apprenticeship 15 years ago where asbestos awareness even then wasn't well informed. Yes we did it at college but as a 16 year old you just do as your told and with many more ppl like you in the industry who live with the attitude of 'it won't happen to me' then you start to adopt that attitude yourself.

I am now office based so I could say that I'm not personally affected by asbestos however I feel that I still have a duty of care and still care about the safety and health of others.

In addition we mainly work on new build commercial projects so the exposure is minimal anyway but like has already been said it takes only 1 fibre to plant the seed of death.

There has been plenty asbestos awareness for a lot more than 15 years it is getting more press now because the H&S men are using it as more of a lever to justify their existence. If you couldn't sit up and take more notice at college then more fool you

There are a lot of people on here who probably worked in areas where the use of asbestos was the norm well before the dangers became known and there is probably a good likelihood that they have already breathed in your so called "Seed of Death" there are many more dangers still present on all sites any which could cause death in anything from a few seconds stupidity to a few decades because the dangers of the materials being used where like asbestos the dangers of using them are yet to be noticed. As I have said previously and you chose to not read and understand we breathe in a lot of junk just walking round in a normal day, may be asbestos is like the old Woodbines or Capstan Full Strength debate the 40 a day habit killed one person in middle age yet another guy was still going strong having smoked them since he was 16 and was now 90+ years old

You seem to be on some shock crusade about a danger that is diminishing as time goes on so I'm not sure what your motive is especially with your last comment that your main work is new build. Attitudes may seem blaze but many of us have been working with it for many years with the known dangers so I don't know why it is so much of a problem to you now

 

[Rockingit]

I'm finding this thread quite amusing. Now, I'm not, in anyway shape or form suggesting that the serious risks associated with asbestos shouldn't be considered very carefully however, there are far more 'everyday' risks that will get you with much more certainty than a few fibres might! For starters, anyone who's contributed on this thread and been/is a smoker - well, sorry, but you put far more crap into your lungs voluntarily so your points are pretty much invalid. Anyone who's had a week of cafe big breakfasts and no exercise...ever heard the term 'coronary heart disease'? That quick slice with the grinder and no goggles? That quick little job you did live last week as it was too much hassle to isolate..... and so on and so on - the list is virtually endless and you get my point.

Life has risk. We can mitigate against some of them, and awareness is a good thing. The unnecessary ending of a life simply through lack of education IS a tragedy, no doubt, but we do not, and cannot, live in a bubble 24/7.

 

[UNG]

Really, ...i beg to differ, Asbestos awareness and it's strict removal procedures has been well know for considerably longer than 15 years. In fact i can honestly say that i've attended at least two and maybe 3 HSE Asbestos awareness seminars before 2000....

Oh, and you are mistaken, as i stated earlier i am NOT in any way, shape or form, blase about the dangers of Asbestos. I am more than aware of my obligations to both myself and others....

Got to agree with you on that trying to remember when I first went on an asbestos awareness course but from one job I remember it has to be mid 80's

 

[Knobhead]

1989 was the first course I went on. The roof had to be taken off our workshops and stores, built in the 1930's all the roofs were blue asbestos.

PS, I ain't dead yet!

 

[atm84]

As I keep saying I'm not interested it everything and anything else that may be a danger. They can be considered separately.

My OP is about the concerns of asbestos in domestic properties and how its disturbance etc isn't considered on the same scale as it is in a commercial environment but can still have the same implications.

You have answered my question that you obviously don't think its anything to worry about and there 'are far worse things out there'. Well if thats your attitude then I'm sorry but it doesn't look like much is going to change in the industry with narrow minded, fickle individuals.

Oh and for the record I didn't say asbestos awareness was around over 15 years ago, I just said it wasn't treated with the same respect as it is now.

 

[atm84]

1989 was the first course I went on. The roof had to be taken off our workshops and stores, built in the 1930's all the roofs were blue asbestos.

PS, I ain't dead yet!

Well aren't you the man. It must all be a load of b***cks, all this abestos awareness then, either that are you are a true hard man.

 

[telectrix]

Well aren't you the man. It must all be a load of b***cks, all this abestos awareness then, either that are you are a true hard man.

you ain't seen our tony. bends red hot steel round his ankles and uses his feet for an anvil. making horse shoes . spits the nails in and hammers home with his todger. a true hard man.

 

[Engineer54]

You have answered my question that you obviously don't think its anything to worry about and there 'are far worse things out there'. Well if thats your attitude then I'm sorry but it doesn't look like much is going to change in the industry with narrow minded, fickle individuals.

Oh and for the record I didn't say asbestos awareness was around over 15 years ago, I just said it wasn't treated with the same respect as it is now.

Sorry, but i'm going to have to differ with you again, if anything the asbestosis awareness programme(s) were far more prominent and respected then, than it is now.... Far more people affected by asbestos and other related diseases were around then, than there is today... and the numbers are diminishing year on year...

I might be considered as ''fickle'' in the right circumstances, ...but I'm beginning to believe the only narrow minded person here is yourself, maybe you're on some sort of crusade, ...alas that crusade set sail a very long time ago.

 

[Engineer54]

you ain't seen our tony. bends red hot steel round his ankles and uses his feet for an anvil. making horse shoes . spits the nails in and hammers home with his todger. a true hard man.

Not to mention his subtle and not so subtle tongue lashing/bashing qualities!! ...lol!!

 

[jaypp]

I do agree with points made from most posters here. For me, (smoker, drinker, motorbike rider, etc.) the concern is that it's 'unseen' and I could be unaware of the risks (I'm not!), unlike my life choices above. The thing that really concerns me though, is it's become another one to add to the 'duty of care' list, i.e. the powers that be have shifted the future blame onto you and I.

 

[Badged01]

....... i.e. the powers that be have shifted the future blame onto you and I.

You've obviously stumbled across one of the key guiding principle of senior management ..... "shift blame quick"