At Work
In all non-domestic properties, it is a legal requirement to hold an asbestos register, and the responsibility of the duty-holder as per The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012). Pre-1999, there is a higher likelihood that commercial and industrial properties will contain some form of asbestos containing material that will need to be managed, or even removed.
Below is a diagram showing where asbestos may be found in an industrial property; the areas highlighted in yellow;
- Sprayed coatings on ceilings, walls, beams and columns;
- Loose fill insulation;
- Lagging on boilers and pipes;
- Asbestos insulation board (AIB) soffits, ceiling tiles, partition walls, panels in fire doors and around boilers/storage heaters/warm air heating systems;
- Asbestos cement water tank, roofing, panels, gutters, downpipes, flue pipes and soffits;
- Toilet seat and cistern;
- Asbestos rope seals, gaskets and paper;
- Vinyl floor tiles;
- Textiles – e.g. fire blankets;
- Textured decorative coatings to walls and ceilings.
Please note this diagram does not show all possible uses and locations of asbestos materials
At Home
Domestic properties are not required to follow the same regulations as commercial and industrial ones, however, it is still important to take the appropriate precautions.
Having an asbestos register for your property is also beneficial when it comes to selling your home as this can often arise as a query in legal proceedings, especially in older properties where potential buyers may be put off by the presence of asbestos. Since the repeal of the Property Misdescriptions Act in 2013, all sellers are obliged to disclose the presence of asbestos during a sale. Though you would not be expected to detect the presence of asbestos yourself, the information will likely have been uncovered by a chartered surveyor before you moved in, or it may have been queried by your estate agent based on the age and construction of your property.
Below is a diagram showing (in yellow) where asbestos may be found in a domestic property
- Pipe lagging;
- Loose fill insulation;
- Sprayed insulation coating on boiler and hot water tank;
- Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) airing cupboard, soffits, ceiling tiles, bath panels, partition walls, interior/exterior window panels, behind fireplaces or fuse boxes and around boilers/storage heaters/warm air heating systems;
- Asbestos cement water tank, panels, soffits, roofing, gutters and downpipes;
- Toilet seat and cistern;
- Vinyl floor tiles;
- Textured decorative coatings to walls and ceilings;
- Roofing felt.
Please note this diagram does not show all possible uses and locations of asbestos materials