Asbestos question

deepindebtor

I have a couple of questions regarding the dreaded asbestos.

I live in a council flat which I moved into this year and it has an ancient gas boiler in it which was turned off when I moved in but repaired a week or so later.

I had to get the yearly inspection done the other day and noted that at the bottom of the worksheet I was given it says my boiler contains asbestos.

Now what I want to know is, should I not have been told this at some point or at least some kind of warning sticker be attached to the device itself? There is nothing on it and I was told nothing.

It makes me wonder where else there is asbestos, I think I have spotted some used as the top of a shelf under the gas meters in a cupboard outside.

What should I do?

Just ignore it and carry on or complain?

What should the council have done and what should they do now?

I know asbestos can be ok unless it is disturbed but surely they should at least warn you if they know its there and so far no one officially has, apart from something I "happened" to notice on a copy of a worksheet.

Thanks

deepindebtor

Does anyone know any kind of answer, first question on here I have not had an answer to.

Ebe_Scrooge

Personally I wouldn't worry. Asbestos, as you correctly point out, is not a problem unless it's disturbed. If / when you need to replace the boiler then it'll be important, as this will have an impact upon how they remove and dispose of it - the plumber or whoever would probably need to get a specialist firm in to deal with the asbestos. But until that time, it's not going to hurt you.

Hope this reassures you somewhat :-)

AdrianW2

Some other comments here. Since you won't be working on the boiler I don't see an issue, and I can't see anything would be achieved by complaining.

deepindebtor

Thanks for your advice. Just worried when I hear that word asbestos.

Are they not obliged to mark the equipment as containing Asbestos or even tell me?

Considering they are inspecting it and noted this fact down ( I only noticed by accident, it was not drawn to my attention )?

wreck_fisher

There are 3 types of asbestos Blue (crocidolite) Brown (amosite) and White (chrysotile). White is the least harmfull but all would be ok as long as they are in good condition and not disturbed, it's the inhalation of the fibres that is dangerous. They are hook like in shape and once inhaled cannot be coughed up as they get hooked up in the lungs etc

KeithP

deepindebtor wrote: »

...
Considering they are inspecting it and noted this fact down ( I only noticed by accident, it was not drawn to my attention )?

I wonder why the engineer bothered to write on the worksheet and give you a copy of it if he wasn't expecting you to read it?