Homeowners are asbestos ignorant

Jul 27, 2010

The British Lung Foundation (BLF) wants homeowners to be made more aware of the possible risks of carrying out DIY on asbestos containing materials. The call follow a survey carried out by the BLF which highlighted that 45% of homeowners did not realise that asbestos had been used as a building material.

The BLF is now urging homeowners to be Asbestos Aware after the survey of 2,000 homeowners revealed that 65% of people are not confident identifying asbestos-containing materials in the home and nearly half of homeowners who do DIY in their properties do not realise that asbestos was used as a building material in homes as recently as the 1990s.

Less than a third (29%) of those surveyed said they would check their homes for asbestos-containing materials before they carried out DIY, while an alarming three quarters say they have never received any information on how to identify and manage the substance.

Nearly fourteen million homes were built when asbestos materials were being used in construction. This is why the charity is urging homeowners to ensure they know how to identify asbestos-containing materials and do DIY safely. Having this asbestos knowledge could help to prevent them developing mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer between 15 – 50 years later.

The BLF have stressed that they do not wish to scare homeowners, stressing that asbestos is safe as long as it is not disturbed, but it believes that the knowledge gap uncovered in its survey suggests that more effort is needed to raise awareness when people are carrying out DIY.

The Health and Safety Executive, which works to inform tradesmen of the dangers of asbestos, said it was supportive of the campaign to raise awareness among homeowners.

"Our advice is that householders should not attempt to remove asbestos containing materials that are higher risk such as sprayed coatings, insulation board or lagging - these materials can only be safely removed by a contractor licensed by the Health and Safety Executive."

It was suggested that former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, who died earlier this year from lung cancer, may have come into contact with asbestos while ripping down the ceiling of his clothes shop in the 1970’s. McLaren had vandalised the shop, because he wanted it to look “like a bomb had hit it”.

Connaught provides the full range of asbestos testing, surveying and sampling services to meet the varying levels of risk and needs of your business. Asbestos sample analysis is undertaken in our own UKAS-accredited laboratories located throughout the UK. Further details can be found at our asbestos website.