Top Ways You Could Uncover Hidden Asbestos In Your Office

Asbestos materials are widely known to be harmful to human health and the environment. Because of this, importing blue and brown asbestos to the UK has been banned since 1985, where this ban extended to white asbestos in 1999. It is also illegal to supply asbestos containing materials, where this is intended to prevent this hazardous material from being used.

Unfortunately, some older buildings constructed before these bans were implemented may still contain asbestos. This could be used for insulation in the walls or ceilings, or to protect pipeworks. If you're managing a commercial office space, then you are responsible for sealing or removing any asbestos that is found, to ensure the safety of your employees.

Asbestos may have been in your building for a long time, where it is not always noticeable until it is uncovered. Read on to find out more about how you could end up uncovering a hidden asbestos site in your office.

Asbestos Risk Assessments

If you’re giving your office an overhaul or looking to sell, then you may have to carry out an asbestos risk assessment. This means employing a professional to check for signs of asbestos in your building, where you may be encouraged to take further action if suspicious sites are uncovered.

Extensive Refurbishments

The most common way that commercial buildings are found to contain asbestos is during refurbishments. If you’re stripping out plaster, flooring or ceiling tiles then you may uncover materials that were sealed away decades ago. In the event of an asbestos discovery, all building work must stop until the site is made safe.

Ceiling Damage

Sometimes, ceiling materials are damaged in storms or are worn through over time, where this could also expose asbestos. In particular, if your ceiling falls inwards for whatever reason, this could reveal long hidden corners of your building, potentially exposing archaic reserves of asbestos.

Word of Mouth

On occasion, news may spread that a specific type of building has an asbestos risk, where occupants will be advised to undertake a survey. In a similar way, a suspicious contractor or company may be exposed as having supplied materials illegally, which could also encourage building owners to complete an assessment of their site.

Gowrie Contracts: Your Asbestos Experts

At Gowrie Contracts, our team can undertake comprehensive asbestos removals and remediations, in addition to disposing of hazardous materials. 

Beyond this, we also handle land reclamation, building strip-outs and demolitions, helping you to get your project moving in a safe and compliant manner.

Contact us directly today to find out more about our trusted asbestos services.