For a top-quality, expert asbestos survey in Stafford, get in touch with the specialists. At ACS, we help you stay in compliance with regulations and ensure that your building and premises remain safe. We focus on providing state-of-the-art services, at affordable rates and tailored to meet your unique needs, preferences and budget. Asbestos is a natural material that was once a very popular building material. It was prized for its versatility, ease of use, fire-retarding properties, insulating properties, durability and resistance to most chemicals. If left undisturbed, asbestos is rarely harmful, but when it is damaged or disturbed, the spores are released into the atmosphere in the form of fine fibres. They can remain airborne for long periods because of their lightweight, size and shape. Being very fine, they cannot be spotted by the naked eye. These fibres enter the lungs and respiratory system, causing a variety of conditions including asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.
If you are planning refurbishment for your building in Stafford, an asbestos survey must be undertaken in buildings constructed before 1980. However, it is a mistake to assume that any building constructed after this date would not contain asbestos or asbestos-containing material. Asbestos occurs in two main types (serpentine and amphibole) which are subdivided into six different forms: Chrysolite (serpentine) and tremolite, actinolite, anthophyllite, amosite and crocidolite (amphibole). Chrysolite is the most commonly used form in construction as drywall, plaster, paint, flooring, false-ceiling, roofing, shelving, counter-tops, partitions, and fireproofing. It is also used in automobiles and motorcycles as brake pads, gaskets, and clutch plates. In the fire-fighting sector, asbestos is used to manufacture firefighters’ apparel and blankets. Many spray-on applications and decorative paints may contain asbestos. There are also several new uses like flooring felt, commercial and speciality paper, and vinyl-asbestos floor tiles that must be taken into account.
A reliable, professional asbestos survey in Stafford helps to locate, map, quantify and check the condition of asbestos on your premises. For help with an asbestos survey, contact ACS. If you’re a building-owner or are responsible for the upkeep or maintenance of a building constructed earlier than 2000, it may have asbestos in some form. This is because asbestos was completely banned only in 1999 in the UK.