Asbestos Advice for Domestic Householders

Asbestos in the workplace is heavily regulated under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations. These do not apply to householders undertaking DIY activities. However, it is important to ensure that asbestos found in the home is managed appropriately to ensure the safety of your family, friends and neighbours.

An assessment should be carried out to highlight any potential asbestos containing materials that are going to be disturbed by the proposed work. Once identified, these materials should not be disturbed, if possible. If disturbing the asbestos is unavoidable then you should take all measures to reduce dust / fibre levels to a minimum.

Asbestos materials in good condition and that are not vulnerable to damage, are best left where they are as removal can lead to higher levels of fibres in the air. The condition of the asbestos containing materials left in place should be periodically checked to make sure that they have not been damaged or started to deteriorate.

Some asbestos containing materials pose more of a hazard than others. Materials which have the potential to release high levels of fibres, such as asbestos lagging and asbestos insulation board, should normally only be removed by licensed asbestos removal contractors. Other, less hazardous materials, such as asbestos cement, asbestos floor tiles and asbestos water tanks can be removed relatively safely as long as some simple precautions are taken. Please refer to our leaflet for guidance.

If you are unsure whether a material contains asbestos you should have it checked by a competent surveyor or analyst before commencing any work.