asbestos dust around the house

[transitphil]

I'm sorry if this repeats an earlier thread (if so, could someone post a link please).

Stripping wallpaper off the kitchen wall, I noticed what looked like a hardboard panel fastened to it. I put the chisel behind it and pop! off came a section of what is clearly asbestos sheet. Not a big deal, I'm sure I could get the rest off more or less in one piece and dispose of it responsibly.

However, the electrician has cut 2 lengths of cable into the panel, prbably 3 metres in total, prsumably with a grinder. About 2 months ago. So, we have a room full of asbestos dust, a carpet and the kitchen where the builders ate and made their tea. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. It has also presumably now been trodden throughout the house, new carpets and all. My wife has dusted recently (without a mask, who dusts in a mask?).

So needless to say, I've washed the kitchen down, suitable suited up, taken the wall paper off with a steamer and used the hot moisture to wipe everything down. What do I do next? Local Authority? Clean the whole house? Remove all the carpets?

Any advice, except from people touting for business, very welcome indeed.

regards, phil

 

[^woody^]

You could ask for a "reassurance test" from a specialist analyst company to check the air within the property. And take it from there

If excessive fibres are present, then they will be floating around and settling anywhere and can't be cleaned or removed with a normal vacuum

If the electrician had insurance, then you should claiming off that

 

[jeds]

You say it's clearly an asbestos sheet, but how can you be sure? Is it hard or soft?

 

[transitphil]

I remember it from my childhood, my mother used a sheet to put hot pans on.

 

[jeds]

So it's a hard material. If so my advice is take a small sample to a local lab and have it tested. There are lots of similar materials around that don't contain asbestos. Yours may be clear.