Many asbestos roofs and siding are damaged cracked or broken.
How to walk on asbestos roof.
Some people including experienced roofers claim that it is safe to walk along the line of the purlins where the roof sheet fixings are visible but this is definitely not the case since the purlins are usually quite narrow often only a few inches wide.
The fragile nature of asbestos cement sheets means that they can give way without warning.
Though we ve walked carefully on a few such roofs it s easy to damage them.
Asbestos siding in particular however has a tendency to chip crack and break with normal wear and tear of family life.
The simple fact is that you should never walk directly on an asbestos roof.
It s best to stay off of this surface.
These shingles are as fragile as slate.
See our inspection advice at asbestos fiber cement roofing and our advice about.
Above all we want to stress the importance of air quality monitoring if.
Cement asbestos roof shingles.
Accordingly if the material contains less than 1.
Asbestos cement in roofing.
Most of the times asbestos roofing materials are not dangerous if not damaged and left undisturbed.
The only way to know for sure whether your roof contains asbestos is to have a sample tested by professionals in a certified laboratory.
Consequently safe access systems must be in place before any work commences to both prevent and arrest falls from height.
But due to the high risk nature of this material repairs may not be conducted on any roof that contains asbestos hammering high pressure cleaning drilling cutting patching and walking on roof tiles can all release fibres into the.
Its the lack of warning thats caught lads out.
Asbestos is lethal manys the man 2 i know of broke their back off one of those roofs the reason is you could walk across that roof nearly do a jig on it and be fine and then without warning you will drop through.
This can release fibers into the air.
It is the fall from height more than anything else that makes asbestos roofs dangerous.
Precautions to take with asbestos roofing.
If you walk on on an asbestos roof sheet it can give way without warning leading to serious injury or even death.
Cement sheets are one of the most commonly used roofing products that the mineral is found in and there are still a large number of.
Walk on corrugated asbestos cement roofs if it can be avoided many people have been injured by falling through weathered asbestos cement roofs while attempting to treat or repair the roof surface leave asbestos cement products around the garden or where they may be broken.
Not only can this mean people fall through the roof from walking on it but the roof will more easily break from other causes such as hail or falling branches and so release asbestos fibres.
If fibres are contained within the structure of the roof the risk is minimised or even reduced completely.
The result of the test will lead you to the next step.
Asbestos was banned in 1989 so as the buildings that incorporated it age their roofing and siding will fall into disrepair.