About Asbestos

If asbestos was so dangerous, then why was it used? Well, Asbestos was very popular before its dangers were discovered.It was considered a 'magic material' by those in the construction trade. This is mainly because it is fireproof, non-conducive and thoroughly insulating, meaning building companies used it wherever they could. It was also cheap and easy to produce. In time, it became so widely used that the task of tracking it down for removal is still going on today. Worryingly asbestos will probably still be found in buildings many years from now.

First consider when your building was constructed or modified. If your building is due repairs or renovation work and you suspect asbestos may be present, you'll need to detect it first. Before starting this process its worth working out who is responsible for asbestos in the building?
This can be done by either using one of our asbestos sample testing kits or arranging for a full asbestos survey, for a more thorough search.
If asbestos is detected within the area due for renovation or repair, then it will need to be removed to ensure the safety of those nearby (this could be yourself, your family, employees or contractors).
Its worth noting that if you do find asbestos in your property in good condition and with no need to be disturbed, then there is no reason to get it removed. Asbestos in good condition and without being disturbed is perfectly safe as the asbestos fibres are contained within the material.
If you do find asbestos and would like it removed professionally then we recommend visiting the HSE Website to find a licensed contractor,
If you are an employee who may come into contact with asbestos when carrying out your duties then your employer is legally obligated to provide asbestos awareness training

Unfortunately each and every situation is different and so its a near impossible question to quantify. If you suspect a material contains asbestos the best and only course of action should be to have it tested.
After analysing the latest 3,000 samples submitted to us we broke down the percentage of negative and positive samples grouped up by material type. This will give you an idea of what % of samples ended up being positive for asbestos content. You should not make a judgement call on whether any material contains asbestos based on this data - it is purely based on samples submitted to us. 

If asbestos was so dangerous, then why was it used?

Well, Asbestos was very popular before its dangers were discovered.It was considered a 'magic material' by those in the construction trade. This is mainly because it is fireproof, non-conducive and thoroughly insulating, meaning building companies used it wherever they could. It was also cheap and easy to produce. In time, it became so widely used that the task of tracking it down for removal is still going on today. Worryingly asbestos will probably still be found in buildings many years from now.