Damaged asbestos cement by mistake

captainjoe · 15 Jan 2009

Hi, until recently I was incredbile ignorant about asbestos, in that, I had no idea it was on the sides and the roof of a barn and stable next to the house I live in.

What I'm cocnerned about is I recall a year or so ago I was using the strimmer next to the barn to cut down a large amount of weeds that had grown around it and I think I nicked the abestos cement and created a small hole in the cement with the strimmer, which I think broke the plastic cutting bit so stopped after I reliased what I had done.

Is this much of a risky exposure?

I keep hearing so much varying information about the cement product. From it's harmless from some sources, to it's a bit dangerous to it's extremely dangerous.

I know there's nothing I can do about it now, but have I increased my risk by any measurable amount from my exposure?

The asbestos itself is a bit damaged in places too. We have been told by a couple of builders that it's fine and poses no health risk.

xerxes · 16 Jan 2009

If you want an expert opinion, you need to find an expert to give you an opinion. Even then, you won't be sure if the opinion's valid. You might be asking someone with a financial interest in alarming you, or someone with unbalanced health'n'safety leanings.

My opinion, for what it's worth? Bonded asbestos left undisturbed poses no risk. Break it, and you might risk releasing some fibres into the atmosphere. You might inhale some of these; some of the fibres might be trapped in your lungs instead of being expelled by your respiratory system. If that happens, they might cause trouble. Quite a lot of mights.

Cases of misothelioma are associated with people working in industry where they are exposed to free asbestos, and inhaling it, or inhaling dust and fibres through laundering their husband's clothing.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over this.

big-all · 16 Jan 2009

in my oppinion if you are saying that on one or two occasions for a few seconds you disturbed the asbestos and knocked a hole in it i would not worry

its the dust thats dangerouse and with a strimmer it will tend to disperse it over a larger area

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/asbestos

^woody^ · 16 Jan 2009

ACS has a low fibre content.

The fibres are so small and light that outside if broken, the very, very few that are released, will be blown away.

So standing up with a strimmer, the chances of any released fibres getting into your lungs are remote.

You will have breathed in more asbestos fibres which are naturally in the air walking to the shed to get the strimmer out in the first place

CortinaV8 · 16 Jan 2009

I wouldn't be to worried about that, as other people have said you have probably been closer to asbestos that that in the past before they realised it wasn't too clever.

Attached is a photo from about a month back taken by my other half whilst removing an asbestos cement boiler flue from the rear of my house. The actual asbestos content of asbestos cement is very low indeed.

View media item 7649

captainjoe · 16 Jan 2009

Ok, cool thanks guys. Just read so much about it at the moment, then you find out you have it where you live! Plus living in the countryside the stuff is everywhere on farms and such.

As yo say nothing really to worry about, esspially for 20 years or however long it takes to get one of those nasty deaises!

jeds · 16 Jan 2009

When I was a kid a couple of 6 storey flats were demolished near where I live. The balcony and shed roofs were asbestos cement - there was piles and piles of the stuff. One day we discovered that if you chuck a piece of it on the fire after about 4 or 5 minutes it exploded. (there was always a big bonfire on building sites in those days) We spent the best part of the long hot summer holiday breaking asbestos cement into pieces about a foot or so square and blowing them up in that fire.

Brilliant harmless fun.

noseall · 16 Jan 2009

jeds said:
When I was a kid a couple of 6 storey flats were demolished near where I live. The balcony and shed roofs were asbestos cement - there was piles and piles of the stuff. One day we discovered that if you chuck a piece of it on the fire after about 4 or 5 minutes it exploded. (there was always a big bonfire on building sites in those days) We spent the best part of the long hot summer holiday breaking asbestos cement into pieces about a foot or so square and blowing them up in that fire.

Brilliant harmless fun.

....yeah, and if you wash you hair with toxic waste-ooze it makes your head glow.

Symptoms · 16 Jan 2009

jeds - yep, your tale of boyhood pranks with bonfires & asbestos must have been copied by 1000s of lads up and down the country - it brought back happy memories

In my case it was 40 years ago and my lungs are still going strong. So Joe ... don't worry about your very brief brush with the stuff; as others have said the problem lies with prolonged exposure.

Markymilarky · 17 Jan 2009

I woulden't worry about it Joe.
My brother-in-law had just started a new job working on a ship, He returned to his ship one night very drunk, he coulden't find his way to his cabin and crashed out in a compartment. He had a very cosy warm nights sleep( you know whair it going) but was awaken in the morning by 2 Chaps in Breathing aperatus and white suits. They got him out and cleaned him off, he had been sleeping in a pile of asbestos matting that had removed from around the pipes on the ship.
He was devestated for a long time after as he was really worried about what had happened. He sued the company and got i think £15,000 as they were negligent in leaving the asbestos unsecured in a compartment whair people could go. this was about 12 years ago and he's still in good health. smokes 60 a day and drinks like a fish. regards mark

jeds · 17 Jan 2009

noseall said:
jeds said:

When I was a kid a couple of 6 storey flats were demolished near where I live. The balcony and shed roofs were asbestos cement - there was piles and piles of the stuff. One day we discovered that if you chuck a piece of it on the fire after about 4 or 5 minutes it exploded. (there was always a big bonfire on building sites in those days) We spent the best part of the long hot summer holiday breaking asbestos cement into pieces about a foot or so square and blowing them up in that fire.

Brilliant harmless fun.

Click to expand...

....yeah, and if you wash you hair with toxic waste-ooze it makes your head glow.

Give it a go and let us know how is goes.

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Damaged asbestos cement by mistake

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