Agricultural Building Asbestos Removal by A4 Asbestos of Bristol and Wiltshire
Considering the widespread use of asbestos up until the late 1980’s, it’s very likely that most agricultural buildings are going to contain some white asbestos. White asbestos can be very easily removed, but as with any asbestos, any disturbed sitesshould to be reported to a specialist like A4 Asbestos as airborne particles have to be removed through special processes. There are several different types of asbestos, including blue, brown and white, which are commonly found in agricultural buildings.
If you are concerned about the presence of asbestos in your agricultural property, then enquire with A4 Asbestos. Acquire peace of mind with our expert survey and removal services. Visit our page on: Agricultural Asbestos Removal or call us on 0117 2591425.
Recognising White Asbestos
Usually the presence of white asbestos can be found by finding light grey or off white patches in your building. Observe areas like walls, roofs and piping, as these are the main sites in an agricultural buildings where asbestos was commonly used . White asbestos is usually hardened and fibrous so expect to see texture on the surface if the material is exposed. You should be able to tell unless the asbestos has been finished, in which case you may be okay unless the material looks damaged.
Flaking insulation boards or roof sheeting is also a key sign of white asbestos, especially if the surfaces are unpainted / coated as this would suggest the presence of asbestos that has been worn or damaged. Again, a good sign of asbestos with these are white flaking particles that look like they are coming from a damaged part of sheeting or roofing. The off white colour makes another appearance as you are going to see this in possible sites of asbestos.
If you’re working on insulation boards, roof sheeting or older agricultural buildings, and see flaking or powdering where unpainted surfaces are worn, cracked or damaged, this could be white asbestos.
Common places you may be able to find asbestos in your agricultural building would be insulating materials like the sleeves you see covering pipes or boilers. Asbestos was heavily used as an insulator due to its highly insulating properties. Roofing is one of the most common places for asbestos on agricultural buildings as corrugated roofing sheets contained mass amounts of the substance and were often used as they were cheaper than other forms of roofing, especially on farm buildings where the look of teh roof was less important than the cost of installation. Where walls or door frames were supported with cement can also be asbestos re-enforced, which can wear overtime so anything containing asbestos really isn’t safe unless removed or contained.
If you fear the presence of asbestos in your agricultural property, there are a few key things you shouldn’t do as this could expose or disturb the asbestos, which may be undamaged. Disturbing a site of asbestos is one of the worst things you could do, as airbourne particles are incredibly hard to contain and remove.
White asbestos will be disturbed if you are thinking of demolishing parts of the building that contains asbestos reinforced cement, as this was a very popular filler during the years of asbestos usage. If your building has a water system then you can guarantee that asbestos will be present as any hot water system would of used something containing asbestos as insulation. Any work on the roof or walls can also damage asbestos, as there is a heavy chance you have asbestos in the roof and walls.
Any operation within the premise should be done with care and the proper protection. Airbourne particles can make people incredibly ill and can result in fatalities so it’s important that the correct measures are taken when even examining the property.
If you are thinking of converting or renovating your agricultural building please consult a specialist like A4 Asbestos. We can provide asbestos surveys and removal services that are much more efficient and safer than considering self-removal. You may considering removing the asbestos yourself to save money, but the health hazards that may come in the event of a mistake or accident are too high. Consider A4 Asbestos and opt for the safe procedure rather than doing it yourself.
Asbestos, if damaged should be surveyed and removed or contained as quickly as possible. Contact us on 0117 2591425 or visit our page on Agricultural Asbestos Survey Bristol for more information.
