Asbestos

When am I at risk?

You are mostly at risk when:

• You are working on an unfamiliar site
• The building you are working on was built before the year 2000
• Asbestos-containing materials were not identified before the job was started
• Asbestos-containing materials were identified but this information was not passed on by the people in charge to the people doing the work
• You don’t know how to recognise and work safely with asbestos
• You know how to work safely with asbestos but you choose to put yourself at risk by not following proper precautions, perhaps to save time or because no one else is following proper procedures

Remember, as long as the asbestos is not damaged or located somewhere where it can be easily damaged it won’t be a risk to you.

• You can’t see or smell asbestos fibres in the air.
• The effects of asbestos take many years to show up - avoid breathing it in now.
• Smoking increases the risk many times.
• Asbestos is only a danger when fibres are made airborne