| What is asbestos? |
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Asbestos is the generic name for a variety of fibrous minerals found naturally in rock around the world. Asbestos fibres are strong, durable and non-combustible, thus, they were widely used by industry, mainly in construction and friction materials.
Commercial asbestos fibres belong in two broad mineralogical groups: serpentine (Chrysotile) and amphibole (crocidolite, amosite and others).
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Natural Asbestos |
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How can asbestos affect my health? |
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From studies of people who were exposed to asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that breathing of asbestos fibres can lead to an increased risk of:
Lung cancer
Mesothelioma - a cancer of the lining of the chest and the abdominal cavity; and
Asbestosis - in which the lungs become scarred with fibrous tissue.
The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma increases with the number of fibres inhaled. The risk of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibres is also greater if you smoke. People who get asbestosis have usually been exposed to high levels of asbestos for a long time. The symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until about 20 or 30 years after the first exposure of asbestos. |
Is asbestos still a danger? |
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The use of asbestos is now banned in the UK, but over 3000 people still die each year as a result of exposure to asbestos and it is estimated that asbestos remains in over 1.5 million premises in the UK.
The largest group of workers identified as at risk from asbestos related diseases are those in the building and maintenance professions such as plumbers, electricians and joiners. |
But we have a modern building? |
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Every non-domestic premise built before 1999 is required to manage the risks from asbestos whether ther is any present or not. Remember, materials must be strongly presumed to be asbestos until proven otherwise. |
We lease the premises - who is responsible? |
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The person who is responsible for the maintenance and general up keep of the building is responsible for the asbestos register. Various situations can arise by which either a landlord or a tenant can be held responsible. |
Can we get financial help? |
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As part of it's regeneration scheme, the government has introduced 150% tax relief for companies incurring expenditure on land remediation, including buildings.
The cost of project managing asbestos within existing buildings can be set against company profits as tax relief. For example, if £50,000 is spent on removing asbestos, £75,000 can be deducted from taxable profits. Part of the professional fees, preliminaries, survey fees, and possibly the reinstatement expenditure, may also qualify depending on the nature of the project. |
