Asbestos on doors

[shedi123]

Evening.
Can anyone advise, i know this isn't directly an electrical question but does appear a lot in electrical intake rooms etc.
I have been working on a job where what i think is asbestos on the door. Its not an intake room but is a small understairs cupboard which seperates the restaurant (where i'm working) from the flat upstairs. So its obviously been fitted as fire protection. Its white sheeting which is fibreous (?) and kinda glimmers in the light. I'm told that its not asbestos but i don't really trust them. Is there anything like asbestos that this could be? I know the only way i can be sure is get it tested but and experience or advice would be good. Thanks

 

[sparkyspike]

You can get boards with varying % of asbestos in it. The only way to be sure how much is in it and whether it is dangerous, is to have it tested. You can have someone round to do that, or you can send a piece. AFAIN, asbestos products are only dangerous when they are moved or damaged. This may be better posted under Building. There are products which look like asbestos but are not.

 

[Cremeegg]

If fitted to back of door for fire purposes it'll be either asbestos cement or asbestos insulation board. AC is typically 5-10% asbestos pretty hard and used in corrugated form for garage roofs etc. AIB is much softer, lighter in weight and generally 20-50% asbestos. You can work on Ac without a licence but any work on AIB must be done by a licensed asbestos contractor.

You can also get asbestos substitutes like Supalux that look very similar to AIB.

Asbestos is only dangerous if breathed in and dust is only re;leased when you work with it drilling cutting etc. If left alone, sealed with PVA glue or similar and labelled no problem.

Only way to check is to get it analysed - anything up to £100.

Any building owner occupier should manage their asbestos - the latest incarnation of the regulations require an asbestos management policy. All building owners should know where any is, record what conduition its in and monitor it.

No problem in leaving it where it is as long as it's not damaged and not going to get damaged and release fibres in the future. Just label it so we know what we are about to drill through !!!.

Asbestos removal will often create more problems but at least once its gone its gone. No more monitoring.

Plenty of information on HSE website - they've had a recent campaign on asbestos and electricians as they are now the most at risk group with continual low to medium level exposure in drilling through ceilings soffits etc.

 

[^woody^]

If this is original and pre 1980, then it's most likely asbestos.

And if this is a commercial building then the owners or leaseholders should have done an asbestos audit and either removed or encapsulated and recorded all asbestos products on or around the property

 

[chappers]

It could just be something like masterboard as woody says do you know when it was fitted as that would be the best clue.

 

[Symptoms]

Shedi - others have suggested a couple of alternatives to asbestos sheet. Commonly, asbestos-free Supalux was available in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" thicknesses and asbestos-free Masterboard in 1/4" thickness. Asbestos flat sheet was comonly available in 3/16" thickness. So as a VERY rough ID guide see if you can get a measure of the thickness. "Fibreous" & "glimmers" aren't a measure of something asbestos, only a proper test can determine that (as others have said).

All were used extensivly used to clad doors to fireproof them; we started using Supa & Master in the mid to late 70's when doing flat conversions.

Asbestos is of no danger unless it become friable through being damaged.