A Guide to Asbestos Roofs
Do you have a damaged asbestos roof? Or you may be facing a problem related to roof maintenance work? Or do you wish to overclad your roof but are worried whether existing asbestos means that’s even a possible option?
Whatever your concerns, the most important thing to understand is asbestos in your roof is a potential serious health hazard so you need to plan carefully how you’re going to deal with it.
What is Asbestos?
Technically, Asbestos is an umbrella term related to a group of minerals used to incorporate six of its various types. Namely, Chrysolite, Tremolite, Actinolite, Crocidolite, Anthophyllite and Amosite, in no specific order.
Why Is Asbestos In Commercial Roofs So Dangerous?
Asbestos is linked to serious lung diseases like cancer and mesothelioma and is responsible for about 5,000 deaths in Great Britain every year, according to the Health and Safety Executive. Because there is no minimum safe level of exposure (any exposure is considered dangerous) asbestos is banned in many countries.
The biggest danger with asbestos is the illnesses it causes only show signs years (sometimes decades) after you’ve been exposed, and lots of people are exposed to it without ever knowing.
Problems start with asbestos roofing when the asbestos material is broken, drilled, cut or cleaned with a pressure washer, or where it’s started to deteriorate. Disturbing asbestos can release fibres into the air which get into your lungs
If asbestos is left undisturbed, it’s not usually harmful.
Licensed vs Non-Licensed Removal of Asbestos
We can’t emphasise this enough, DO NOT try to remove asbestos, or suspected asbestos removal on your own.
In most cases, only professional, licensed contractors are allowed to remove asbestos from a ceiling or roof.
Where is asbestos in your roof?
Asbestos is found in a variety of roofing components indoors and outdoors. Before it was banned, inside ceilings were sometimes sprayed with an asbestos coating, and asbestos insulating board was used for ceiling tiles.
On the outside of your roof, asbestos cement is often found in panels, gutters, insulation, roof shingles, siding, downpipes or even the entire roof could have asbestos present.
This government guide contains a useful diagram to identify where asbestos may be present on your property.
When mixed with other materials asbestos can be hard to detect, but in its regular form it comes in blue, brown, and white varieties. It is at its most dangerous when the small fibres are disturbed and become airborne through use of a drill or cutting equipment, so if in doubt avoid tampering with it. Airborne asbestos has no particular smell and is hard to spot, and the effects of inhaling it won’t show up for many years to come. Take a look at this useful gallery to help you identify asbestos; it could save your life.
How to check for asbestos in commercial or industrial buildings without putting anyone at risk
You should never undertake a visual inspection yourself, and if you do stumble across something which may be asbestos do not attempt to disturb it.
Any suspected asbestos fibres should only be investigated by a PASMA trained specialist.
What you can do is try to track down any plans or documentation regarding your building, as these may contain vital clues as to the whereabouts of any asbestos on site.
What Happens If Asbestos Is Detected?
At NWIR we provide a full asbestos testing procedure to safely remove any samples from your site, which you can find more details of here. Our team removes potential asbestos samples using safe methods which limit the amount of asbestos particles released into the air. Any suspected asbestos is then transported in sealed containers and taken to be tested by our certified partners. Areas which have been damaged by the removal of materials are then made safe and weatherproof to prevent further disruption to your business.
Despite the dangers, asbestos discovery is no cause for alarm as long as you treat it correctly and with respect. During our survey we can advise you on how to continue operating in its presence in a safe manner.
Your options if asbestos is found in your commercial roof or building
Once we know what we’re dealing with, there are three options:
- A small, controlled repair
- Overcladding your existing roof
- Fully removing your roof and replacing it
The option you choose will depend on the condition of your roof and how much asbestos fibre is exposed.
If your roof is intact and isn’t damaged, leaving the asbestos where it is and covering it with a new, non-fragile roof system is often the safer and cheaper choice because it means we’re not disturbing the asbestos at all.
You can find out more about our asbestos overcladding services. If your roof is beyond repair, full removal by a licensed contractor is the safer route.
As a business owner or property manager keeping your staff, visitors and customers safe at all times whilst on site should be your number one priority. Putting in place procedures and practices that limit the number of slips, trips and falls can be effective, but what about those hazards that can’t be seen or pass completely unnoticed?
In line with the Control of Asbestos Regulation set up by the UK Government in 2012, asbestos, which is often referred to as a ‘silent killer’, is one such hazard that all property managers and business owners have a duty to manage.
A natural fibrous material famed for its fire and corrosion resistant properties, asbestos has been widely used in commercial and industrial roofing systems across the UK up until its ban in the year 2000.
Managing it starts with knowing the condition of your roof.
A professional commercial roof survey will identify suspect materials and tell you whether you are looking at a repair or a replacement, before anything is disturbed.
Keeping older roofs in good condition through planned roof maintenance also reduces the risk of fragile asbestos sheets failing without warning.
If you are unsure who should carry out the work, only use experienced commercial roofing contractors who are trained to handle asbestos safely.
Get a plan for dealing with asbestos on your commercial or industrial roof
If you leave it alone and it’s properly checked for signs of damage or deterioration, asbestos on a roof is manageable. But when it’s disturbed, that’s when it starts to put you, your staff and neighbouring businesses at risk.
Treat any pre-2000 roof as suspect, get it surveyed, and never cut, drill or jet wash it yourself.
The same caution applies to related problems on ageing metal roofs, such as cut edge corrosion, which is far cheaper to treat early than to ignore.