AsbestosRoofing.co.uk

Maintenance covers a wide variety of activities such as the installation of replacement panels (if spares are available), the repair of panels and of course smaller works such as making attachments, fixtures or fittings to the sheets.

When conducting any maintenance to an asbestos cement roof (or any asbestos cement product, such as a downpipes, gutters etc.), there are a number of general precautions that must be taken to prevent or at least control exposure to asbestos fibres.

These include (but is not be limited to):

• Using non-asbestos materials
• Avoiding the need to attach items to asbestos cement products, or routing wiring or pipes through it
• Ensuring that surfaces prone to getting covered in dust and debris from the maintenance are covered in polythene sheeting
• Keeping the asbestos cement material wet when working on it
• Avoid breaking asbestos cement
• Using hand tools in preference to abrasive power or pneumatic tools. (Where power tools have to be used, they should be set at the lowest effective speed with additional precautions such as local exhaust ventilation. Internally, the area should also be shadow vacuumed with a suitable Type H vacuum cleaner)
• Wearing suitable protective clothing and respirators
• Keeping the area clean and tidy
• Avoiding cleaning methods such as dry sweeping and brushing
• Ensuring that the work area is thoroughly clean on completion of the work

If you are planning maintenance on an industrial or commercial roof, please call David Carter on 01564 824554 or 07800 790427.

An initial survey on your asbestos roof could save you a considerable amount of wasted money.