My house was built in 1873 ish, what are the chances of asbestos being used.

[The Ghost]

So especially on the covings. I ask because I am getting an en suite shower installed and the guys came through the coving and suggested I get rid of the mat at the front door as some dust came down on it. Is there any credence in this? Was asbestos invented then?

 

[SparkyChick]

I should add, I'm not saying it absolves you of your responsibilities as a contractor, just that I believe there are additional responsibilities placed on the house holder with regards to providing information about known risks.

I'm doing a CU change soon, place has textured walls. I gave them the option... get a wall surveyed or I'll assume it's asbestos and factor in the non-licensed works costs and waste disposal.

 

[Deuce]

What really sticks in my craw about that is the average householder is wide open on this one. There is no way they would even begin to think about making sure contractors are safe. Surely anyway it is the contractors duty (legal) to assess risk and methods of working to obviate risk and danger. Now I think most householders would be working more from that understanding.

In a private home, it pretty much does work that way. It's reasonable for the trades person to be considered experienced enough to identify risks in their immediate working environment. It wouldn't stop you getting sued if you knew of a significant danger and, for example, decided you might get a better price if you simply don't mention it.

However, if the property is not a private home, and there are various works going on at the same time one person has to take charge, and that person (me, in this instance) is responsible for general site safety and induction to the site.

 

[Squid]

Leave a "loose" wire in a plastic CSU, the house burns down and the insurance company build you a new house........ Think outside of the box ;o)))))

 

[Deuce]

Leave a "loose" wire in a plastic CSU, the house burns down and the insurance company build you a new house........ Think outside of the box ;o)))))

Or just get a cheap plumber round and encourage them to do a bit of electrical work...

Joking. They won't need encouraging.

 

[Rpa07]

Leave a "loose" wire in a plastic CSU, the house burns down and the insurance company build you a new house........ Think outside of the box ;o)))))

What if the place doesn’t burn down because there is so much asbestos in the fabric of the building?
I guess in a way you’ll have done the survey but ‘outside the box’!

 

[Squid]

What if the place doesn’t burn down because there is so much asbestos in the fabric of the building?
I guess in a way you’ll have done the survey but ‘outside the box’!

It will burn mark my words, insurance "cough" jobs are my speciality........

 

[Risteard]

What really sticks in my craw about that is the average householder is wide open on this one. There is no way they would even begin to think about making sure contractors are safe. Surely anyway it is the contractors duty (legal) to assess risk and methods of working to obviate risk and danger. Now I think most householders would be working more from that understanding.

I certainly wouldn't seek to absolve homeowners of their duties to me. That said I have asked on a number of occasions for Asbestos surveys - only to find out that no-one else has asked for one...

 

[Deuce]

I certainly wouldn't seek to absolve homeowners of their duties to me. That said I have asked on a number of occasions for Asbestos surveys - only to find out that no-one else has asked for one...

the average homeowner probably doesn't even know there is a dedicated survey. Most just have a general survey done, and on that the surveyor will just note the visible asbestos and a note/factsheet about how it's fine if left alone.

I was myself genuinely surprised to learn just how many household materials do contain the stuff. Biggest one for a spark is probably the wall/loft insulation I suppose. Pulling cables through it, crouching down close to the cavity as you yank the cable and all that dust through..

It's got to be over-hyped though. I know a lot of people had their health and lifespan seriously effected at the time, but they were working in factories and breathing particulate 40 hours a week. I find it hard to believe very brief contact once in a blue moon could have any sort of measurable effect. Has anyone on here ever heard of anyone being affected that wasn't actually working with the stuff routinely back in the day? I haven't.

 

[The Ghost]

I have to say regards all this H&S and asbestos...during WW2 my Mother and Aunty were workers in a munitions factory where asbestos was used to pack the shells sent to the front. Both of them died of lung cancer some fifty years later. As my Mother said "the air was thick with the dust"

 

[Deuce]

I have to say regards all this H&S and asbestos...during WW2 my Mother and Aunty were workers in a munitions factory where asbestos was used to pack the shells sent to the front. Both of them died of lung cancer some fifty years later. As my Mother said "the air was thick with the dust"

Very sorry to hear you had a personal loss due to this nasty material.

The true extent of deaths related to asbestos back then is insurmountable I guess. But in both manufacture and use, in most guises it was dusty, messy stuff.

It's somewhat shocking as I stand in the house we're renovating, considering how to work around the asbestos insulation safely, whilst knowing that when the house was built a team of lads would have been handling the stuff and packing it in with no knowledge of the risks, or any protection against them.