Asbestos in Artex

[peaps]

Fags kill 50% of those that smoke them - even Russian Roulette gives you 1 in 6 chance. How many of you that panic about Artex smoke?

You smoke daily though and one hit from asbestos is all you need.....

You can't dismiss the danger.

 

[vibrobullit407]

The type of asbestos that is found in artex is chrysotile (white) and tends to be the least dangerous fibers. There is still however a risk and to scrape and sand without the proper PPE and removal methods is not recommended. At least it is not amosite (brown) or crocidolite (blue) as these fibres are for more dangerous due to the shape of the actual fibers.

At the end of the day putting yourself at risk for something that can be tested for relatively cheaply seems a bit daft to me. I always work on the process that if I don't know for sure that the artex doesn't contain asbestos then I will use the correct asbestos rated PPE and equipment. Especially if working on someones property as I would not be able to live with myself if some body contracted an asbestos related disease due to my negligence!

 

[joe-90]

Fags kill 50% of those that smoke them - even Russian Roulette gives you 1 in 6 chance. How many of you that panic about Artex smoke?

You smoke daily though and one hit from asbestos is all you need.....

You can't dismiss the danger.

How many die from asbestos per year? It's over 100,000 to tobacco.

 

[peaps]

Fags kill 50% of those that smoke them - even Russian Roulette gives you 1 in 6 chance. How many of you that panic about Artex smoke?

You smoke daily though and one hit from asbestos is all you need.....

You can't dismiss the danger.

How many die from asbestos per year? It's over 100,000 to tobacco.

How many live with asbestos day in day out? I'm sure if the same numbers of smokers were equal to asbestos exposure from day to day we would not be discussing this...

 

[vibrobullit407]

How many die from asbestos per year? It's over 100,000 to tobacco.

Which is a personal choice. The fag packets also have a warning on them to show the effects that can be caused. Something that asbestos does not. There is around 2000 deaths a year that are asbestos related and not all are people working with it in a practical sense. For example a teacher who stuck pictures up on a wall in a class room contracted mesothelioma due to the wall being made of asbestos.

2000 people a year is more than enough to make me take precautions when working with the stuff! Especially working in customers houses as they may be unaware of the "hidden killer" that has been disturbed and possibly contaminated them and their family. Do these people not have choice whether or not that they are exposed due to the work being carried out?

 

[lms78]

Thanks for all your advice on the topic. As a first time poster I am very grateful for the number of you willing to share your knowledge and experience with me.

I did the clean up suggested, and am a little less concerned that I was, but certainly won't be doing this again and hope I haven't damaged my kids health however long it takes the symptoms to show through.

 

[peaps]

Thanks for all your advice on the topic. As a first time poster I am very grateful for the number of you willing to share your knowledge and experience with me.

I did the clean up suggested, and am a little less concerned that I was, but certainly won't be doing this again and hope I haven't damaged my kids health however long it takes the symptoms to show through.

I wouldn't worry at all because as stated artex is a low risk and it's not forced to contain it. It becomes a risk if work with it regular without taking precautions.


One thing worth remembering is if you are renovating a building and you uncover something you are not sure of get advice before you continue.

 

[jabuzzard]

Fags kill 50% of those that smoke them - even Russian Roulette gives you 1 in 6 chance. How many of you that panic about Artex smoke?

You smoke daily though and one hit from asbestos is all you need.....

You can't dismiss the danger.

One cigarette is enough to kill. Sure smoking them day in day out increases your chances, but one will do it.

At a peak death rate expected to be around ~2500 a year, there are far more dangerous things to do than removing an artex ceiling that may have asbestos in it. Add in the fact that the vast majority of those dying of asbestos related diseases had repeated exposure over a long time and a sensible risk assessment would indicate that it is not as risky as you might imagine. Further more it takes decades to kill.

 

[peaps]

Fags kill 50% of those that smoke them - even Russian Roulette gives you 1 in 6 chance. How many of you that panic about Artex smoke?

You smoke daily though and one hit from asbestos is all you need.....

You can't dismiss the danger.

One cigarette is enough to kill. Sure smoking them day in day out increases your chances, but one will do it.

At a peak death rate expected to be around ~2500 a year, there are far more dangerous things to do than removing an artex ceiling that may have asbestos in it. Add in the fact that the vast majority of those dying of asbestos related diseases had repeated exposure over a long time and a sensible risk assessment would indicate that it is not as risky as you might imagine. Further more it takes decades to kill.

Prove it.

 

[vibrobullit407]

At a peak death rate expected to be around ~2500 a year, there are far more dangerous things to do than removing an artex ceiling that may have asbestos in it. Add in the fact that the vast majority of those dying of asbestos related diseases had repeated exposure over a long time and a sensible risk assessment would indicate that it is not as risky as you might imagine. Further more it takes decades to kill.

Well the risk assessments under taken by the HSE seem to have effected what is and is not notifiable. If the risk is so minute than why do you think that the HSE have decided that only certain work can be carried out on artex without notification. I would take that denibbing or removal of artex which contains asbestos (or presumed to contain asbestos) would have to be notified now where as it never used to be (Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012).

Goes to show that the HSE have reviewed and amended the control of asbestos regs in reference to work on artex which goes to show that the risks are definitely more than negligible!

 

[Micilin]

So to sum up -

- There is a risk, but it is small. The possible conseqences of that risk, however, are very serious so it is worth doing a little research ( eg how old the artex is) and taking precautions based on that.

It's irrelevant whether smoking is more dangerous or not.

Relative risk is not the issue, but the absolute risk of what you are dealing with.

 

[huddsspread]

Correct.

Where a mask and goggles, and a throw away suit. Hoover up everything, then it will be ok.

 

[1john]

Is it ok to have a hole in the mask to slip a cigarette through so you can safely smoke whilst removing the asbestos?

 

[huddsspread]

and leave your nose free so you can do a line of asbestos...

 

[Micilin]

Terrbile advice there, huddsspread.

You should be encouraging the use of asbestos patches for addicts......