Asbestos#
Asbestos can be found in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require those with responsibilty for maintenance and repair of community buildings to assess and manage the risks from the presence of asbestos. They should already have determined the location of materials likely to contain asbestos, probably by commissioning a professional asbestos survey. They are also required to make and maintain a written record of anything that is, or might be, made of asbestos.
You should confirm with your building’s property manager whether this is any asbestos present on the property and what safety implications that has.
Some forms of asbestos are safe until they are disturbed. There is, however, a particularly dangerous form of asbestos previously used as insulation where even light disturbance will create fibres that you can breathe in. This was sometimes used in our buildings, for instance, as lagging and insulation around boilers and pipework or as sound insulation between floors. It can be hard to tell from other forms of insulation. If you see anything that looks at all like these pictures, even if it is a different colour, do not enter the space until the property manager has confirmed it has been checked by a professional.
Photos taken from the Health and Safety Executive website - click a picture to see their page.
Further reading