Thread: Asbestos around the home

They used cellulose fibre in the old sheets before asbestos (but obviously a different formulation to the modern stuff ). Those old sheets were so brittle that thay had to be nailed with flat nosed nails. Ordinary pointed nails would crack or shatter the old stuff.

Another bit of useless information. There is an old white asbestos mine in Barraba NSW. I think they are still arguing over who is going to clean up all the tailings.

I think it was mostly mined close to the surface.

So to summarise.

To ascertain if the product is asbestos.

drive some nails into it to break it up, if you can drive a flat nail in its asbestos, a pointy nail means asbestos, look for fibres if they are there its asbestos, if theyr'e not its asbestos, try and burn it, if it burns its asbestos if not, its positive for asbestos, if its stamped asbestos its asbestos if its not stamped asbestos, its asbestos.

Most importantly, if in doubt treat it like its asbestos.

Interesting to note that there's white asbestos on the space shuttle.

Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

"As you can see the Geology is a bit rusty...dont do much hard rock geology in this job....mainly looking at wiggly lines and computer screens these days."
Cool! is that where you smash your electric guitar into rocks whilst consuming vast amounts of alcohol and other recreational drugs and surrounded by a bevy of nubile young groupies?

Mick

Not at 47 years of age Mick. These days if I see anybody flogging the guts out of a guitar I severely reprimand them and then plan how Im going to repair the instrument.

Originally Posted by Ashore

kiwigeo not only the rigs but also the ships built in the 70's , accomodation ,lagging and joints on steam pipework that we had to sometimes grind off ...
Have lost two mates I sailed with to asbestosis ,like all the other engineers I keep it touch with get checked regularly but have been told this stuff can be dormant for over 25 years, always on the back of your mind,,

Hope you keep a clean bill of health there Ashore....one shouldnt have to go through life with something like that lurking in the back of ones mind.

Asbestos just one health hazard out here.....air handling systems on some of these older rigs are not the best. They keep the temperature turned down and spray antiseptic through the system on a regular basis to keep the bug count down.

Please be carefull with the nail test. My house is linned inside and out with asbestos. I have removed entire sheets and they are clearly stamped as "James Hardie Asbestos". These have been on the house for about fifty years, and they are brittle. I cannot hammer a nail (sharp or blunt) into the sheets.

Not sure if this is just a batch of sheets that are used on my house. Maybe its 50 plus years of Queensland weather. Then again could it be that the nail test past its use by date.

Hector, I had the same problem with our house a few weeks ago. I took a small sample up to a private lab near Hornsby which did a test - $60 and same day service - shoot me a PM if you need to the name of the company. It turned out there was white asbestos present - not particularly dangerous but better avoided if possible. The guy who did the test recommended not touching it - just putting new wallboards up over it - main thing is not to hit it with dust-making power tools.

Incidently, I rang Workcover and several asbestos labs and all assured me there was no foolproof way to tell if asbestos is present or not without laboratory testing (dont know if that is true - just repeating what I was told).

regards
Arron

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

air handling systems on some of these older rigs are not the best. They keep the temperature turned down and spray antiseptic through the system on a regular basis to keep the bug count down.

I guess you just leigonier on


Don't you just love the way one crew member with the flu can share so much with everyone else



Useless infomation for the day


Man who run in front of car get tyred.

A bit late but I thought I'd post a couple of pics of what I've been finding in a couple of the normal locations. The stuff sitting in front of the pipe and the stuff stuck in behind the retaining wall that's being demolished is asbestos cement sheet. Shoving off-cuts behind retaining walls, under landscaping and the like was fairly common practice many years ago - if only they knew...

Thansk all for replying, it seems that I will treat all walls containing asbestos and will hunt around for prices. I did call a place in Winston Hills and they were quoting me arounf $2400 + GST to remove the sheets in two rooms (3550 x3550 by 2650 height) I find this very expensive compared with Helga's price of $4800 for the whole house in and out.

Arron, I will send you a message regarding the Lab, I might as well get the stuff tested first.

Does anyone know of asbestos removal specialist in Sydney?

Regards,
Hector.

if it's white asbestos, you might decide to get rid of it yourself. If you do, you will need to know how to dispose of it. Put it in bags, then wrap up in building plastic which must be at least 200 microns thick and tape it up so it is as near to airtight as possible. Then call 1300 651 116, and book a time to go out to Belrose or Eastern Creek. Cant remember the name of the company, I'm afraid. They will inspect it, and if satified with the way you have wrapped it up and that the building plastic has no holes and meets their 200micron requirement, you can dump it for $37 (or more for larger quantities).

Not suggesting that you do remove it yourself as there are risks involved, but just trying to be helpful if you do. Might also be useful if you have small quantities from time to time.

Arron

Please remember that your local council may test samples for ratepayers and they may even do it for free!!! It's worth a try.

Cheers All

What are the risks of having the false cladding around the home? If any one wants name of company that do testing in Melbourne PM me and I;ll give the name. It cost me 66AUD in cluding JH'sGST, for one sample. I called out these guys to from a company to remove some cladding for me and they too left small parts behind!! they were supposed to do it right! So the bottom bit of the house has no cladding as it had to be removed for restumping but the rest has, what is the hazard? What difference does it make to the house apart from the look? Why was it put up? HUmmmmm