Can we clean our asbestos roof?
Bad plan
As a roofing company recently found out, using a pressure washer on asbestos roofs or cladding is not such a bright idea. Back in December 2008, Concept Roofing and Cladding Services Ltd (C) was contracted to carry out repairs to a group of industrial units in Market Harborough. The work included a bit of a spruce up for the corrugated asbestos cement sheet roofs.
Spanner in the works
By the end of January 2009 they had made good progress. But when a passing health and safety consultant noticed what they were doing, life suddenly became very inconvenient - and not just for C.
The work not only had to stop but the HSE decided that it was far too hazardous for anyone to work in the vicinity. Local traders had to close for several months.
Why the extreme reaction?
Although asbestos cement products are fairly safe under normal circumstances, if you start disturbing the surface, asbestos fibres will be released. And as the fibres can cause cancer, this is always taken extremely seriously.
Using pressure washers to clean the panels had blasted the harmful fibres into the environment. In fact, traces of the material were found on walls, in drains and at a bus stop.
A qualified asbestos removal company had to be brought in to carry out a thorough clean-up. This caused enormous disruption to the town.
Avoid the same pain
Although it’s very nice to have a clean roof, it definitely isn’t worth the kind of disruption and worry experienced by the residents of Market Harborough.
It’s worth noting that the client who engaged the contractor to do this work was also at risk of prosecution, as they should have checked how the contractor intended to do the work. The good news is that it’s possible to have the job done safely. In fact, the HSE has issued instructions on what’s required as part of the Asbestos Essentials task sheets (see The next step).
Tip 1. Asbestos cement panels are fragile, so before any work begins, access equipment must be put in place to prevent a fall.
Tip 2. There are proprietary cleaning machines available for cleaning these corrugated asbestos panels. Engaging a specialist contractor who has one of these machines will avoid the need for pressure jetting.
Tip 3. The HSE’s task sheet explains how the slurry generated by the cleaning machine should be collected and bagged up as asbestos waste. Make sure that your contractor does this.
Tip 4. For small amounts of moss which is accessible from ground level, it’s possible to complete the job with a low tech solution using a biocide, scraper and disposable protective equipment (see The next step).
For a link to the Asbestos Essentials task sheets (HS 09.14.06A), and for further information on cleaning materials (HS 09.14.06B), visit http://healthandsafety.indicator.co.uk.
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