What is Asbestos and is it dangerous?
A 11. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral with excellent fire and chemical resisting properties that found extensive use as a building material in Great Britain from the 1950s through to the mid-1980s. It is estimated that more than 500,000 non-domestic premises still contain some form of asbestos. Any type of building built before 2000 (factories, offices, schools, hospitals, homes etc) could contain asbestos. Unfortunately the microscopic asbestos fibres released when the material is damaged, worn or worked upon can cause long-term health problems when breathed in including cancer. A very wide range of workers are engaged in building repair, maintenance and refurbishment and remain at risk from exposure to asbestos fibres. The table below list the main trades but this list is by no means exhaustive. It is estimated that over 1.8 million workers are involved in the maintenance trades alone.
