Asbestos Guidance
F.A.Q
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is the name given to a group of fibrous minerals which evolve naturally in the earth; these are found in many parts of the world.
Why was asbestos used in the past?
Asbestos fibres are strong, durable, resistant to heat and chemicals and provide thermal insulation; these properties are what led to its widespread use in the construction industry prior to the mid 1980’s.
It was also used in vehicles, domestic goods and industrial items.
Where is asbestos likely to be found?
Asbestos is most likely to be found in buildings constructed before the mid 1980’s.
Typical places inside your home where asbestos may be found are:
- Artex / textured coatings
- Floor tiles & Linoleum products
- Pipe boxing
- Bath panels
- Fire / Heater panels
- Service ducting panels
- Heating and Fuse board cupboards
- Sink Pad (Bitumen based product)
- WC Cisterns
Typical areas outside your home where asbestos may be found are:
- Roof tiles
- Rainwater pipes and gutters
- Soffits & Fascias
- Garage / Outbuilding roofs
Asbestos may also be found in some household goods such as oven gloves, ironing boards, fire blankets etc.
What does asbestos containing material look like?
It is difficult to tell if something contains asbestos just by looking at it, unless it is labelled, if in doubt you should assume that a material does contain asbestos until it is confirmed otherwise, the only way to be absolutely sure is by getting it tested in a laboratory.
However, we do not have to send samples to a laboratory we can presume it is asbestos and then take all the safety precautions when working on the material by using trained workers, or licensed contractors.
Am I at risk?
Asbestos is only a risk to health if the fibres become airborne and are breathed into the lungs. The fibres breathed in, could lead to asbestos-related diseases, although the body’s natural defences can break some of these particles down, others may stay in the lungs a long time.
Asbestos containing products that are in good condition do not represent a significant risk unless they are damaged or abraded, and should be left undisturbed.
People who have worked with asbestos for many years as part of their job are most likely to be affected.
Most occurrences of asbestos in housing are of low risk and unlikely to harm your health.
What should I do if I think there may be asbestos in my home?
You don’t need to do anything unless you suspect the asbestos may have been damaged, disturbed or is in a poor condition, generally if it is in good condition and cannot be easily damaged or disturbed it is best to leave it alone, as removal can lead to the release of higher levels of fibres in the air for some time.
What should I do if I accidently damage or disturb it?
If you discover or damage an asbestos containing material (ACM) – Don’t Panic, exit the room ensuring no one else enters and contact Sheffield Homes for further advice giving a description and location of the material and damage caused.
Do not attempt to repair the damage or clear up any debris using a brush or domestic vacuum cleaner, as this will release fibres into the air.
When will a survey be carried out on my home?
Sheffield Homes are carrying out asbestos surveys to all of our properties as part of a rolling programme which has been ongoing since 2004, this may mean your home has already been surveyed, however if your home has not been surveyed yet; we will be programming this in sometime in the near future, we anticipate all our homes will have had asbestos surveys carried out by 2011.
How do I get a copy of my survey?
Where a survey has been carried out, Sheffield Homes will be sending out copies to tenants from December 2009 onwards, if you require a report prior to this you may be able to request a copy at your local Area Housing Office or First point.
We are also working towards making the reports accessible on Sheffield Homes website, this will be available in the near future and we will keep you informed of this.
What are Sheffield Homes doing to manage asbestos?
We are carrying out asbestos surveys to all our properties and recording all the information, this includes the type of asbestos found, the location and condition and any recommended actions, i.e. to remove the ACM or to leave it in place with and manage it.
Where asbestos is identified as requiring removal we will use specialist contractors to carry out this work.
As part of this survey we also record where no asbestos is found.
Will you remove asbestos if found in my property?
We will only remove asbestos from your home where it is found to be in poor condition or damaged, as generally it is best practice to leave it in place and manage it if it is in a good condition, as removal creates a greater risk of the release of fibres into the air and possible exposure.
Why do I need an asbestos survey?
We need to carry out a survey to identify any asbestos containing materials within your home as we have a legal duty to provide this information to the contractors we use to carry out repairs or modernisation works to your home.
The survey also helps us to keep accurate records of where asbestos is located within our home.
What shall I do if I am still worried?
If the customer has any further concerns that are not answered by this guidance, advise the customer that you can emailtheir query to another team who then contact the customer with an answer. Take the customer's contact details and email them along with the query to theAsbestos and Adaptations Team at the HomesISUAsbestos email address.
Further information on asbestos may also be found on the Health and Safety Executive website at
What should I do if I want to carry out works to my property?
If you are planning home improvements and think you may have asbestos in your home, always talk to us first. We can check our records and tell you if any asbestos is present or arrange for an asbestos survey to be carried out.
General things to remember before carrying out DIY:
1) Do not drill, saw, scrub or sand anything you think may contain asbestos.
2) Keep activities to a minimum in any areas where material may contain asbestos.
3) Do not dust, sweep, or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos
4) Take every precaution to avoid damaging asbestos material or asbestos-containing products.
5) Always wear a protective face mask if you are doing any DIY work
6) Soak wallpaper before removing, if possible use a steam stripper and gently peel away the paper before re-decorating
7)Don’t try to remove old floor tiles or linoleum. Leave them in place and lay new floor coverings over them.
What should I do if I think I have been exposed to asbestos?
Recently published research suggests that single or low level exposures are very unlikely to lead to disease and the risks with such an exposure are considered ‘insignificant’. Disease associated with asbestos exposure occurs through breathing in asbestos fibre as dust. The chance of developing a disease is related to the amount of fibre inhaled and the duration of exposure. If you think you may have been exposed, you may wish to discuss your concerns with your doctor. At this stage a full medical examination or x-ray would not be beneficial since it takes many years for the effects of asbestos to appear.
Further information can be found in Health and Safety Executive MS13 - Asbestos: Medical Guidance Note.
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