With the dangers of asbestos now commonly known across both building trade and broader society, everyone must be aware if they were ever exposed to this toxic material. Asbestos can cause many health problems for people, but it is often too late to do anything by the time these health issues come to light. This is because it can take anywhere between 10-60 years for the asbestos-related diseases to come out and show any significant symptoms. Over the last 30 years, asbestos death rates have increased, reaching around 5,000 deaths in the UK per year. The key to minimising these diseases is to limit asbestos exposure. However, that can be tricky as asbestos fibres can be hard to identify as they are not visible to the naked eye. That is where we here at Clearaway Asbestos are here to help. Before starting any work on a building, especially one built before the year 2000, it is vital that you call an asbestos company to come and investigate first. Here at Clearaway, we can inspect and check the building to see if asbestos is present. If we suspect asbestos in the building, we will send it off to the lab for testing, close off the room to limit the spread around the property and work on removing the asbestos fibres. Although asbestos may be easy to locate in households as it is a smaller and more accessible location, there are long-serving buildings used by thousands of people a year where asbestos could be present.
Asbestos In Schools
The amount of asbestos currently in pre-2000 built educational establishments has come into question recently. Mesothelioma is a rare but dangerous form of cancer that can affect anyone who has worked with asbestos. Lately, there has been a rise in mesothelioma related deaths among teachers due to the exposure of asbestos in old school buildings.
The Department For Education has estimated that 75% of UK schools contain asbestos. More worryingly, when asbestos usage was at its peak between 1945-1974, around 13,000 schools were built. Asbestos was used in schools to help keep the spread of a fire at bay if one was to start. Many of the key features in schools were also insulated with asbestos, including ceiling panels, boilers, roofing sheets and pipes. Pipe and central heating maintenance in schools have to take place regularly. Doing this can disturb asbestos and disseminate deadly fibres into the atmosphere. This can be a worrying thing for many schools across the country, so it is always best to get in an inspector to help get rid of the asbestos material.
Asbestos In Hospitals
A hospital building is built to last, so few are constructed nowadays. This means the majority of UK hospitals are considerably old. An extensive network of heating pipes and boiler systems throughout the hospital contain asbestos panelling. The BBC reported that as of October 2018, 90% of UK hospitals were confirmed to have asbestos present in their structures. There have been ongoing claims made against the NHS relating to the exposure to asbestos in hospital environments.
There is a big issue with asbestos in hospitals because they are such busy places and open 24 hours. If the asbestos was to be kept secure and left untouched, then there is a risk of it becoming fragmented and hazardous over time. On the other hand, a complete and thorough asbestos removal may interfere with the constant clinical schedules as they won’t be able to close off any areas of the hospital to work on the asbestos removal. Despite this, there has been some success stories of trusts achieving this without clinical disruptions.
Asbestos is a serious health risk that is still a danger to millions despite the 1999 total ban on using asbestos. Here at Clearaway Asbestos, we are an established business specialising in asbestos removal. Our trained operatives are organised and safety conscious, giving you complete confidence that we will do a good job. Arrange your asbestos clearance with us today by visiting our website to get your free quote tailored specifically to your job.
