Thousands of buildings across Chester and Cheshire were built at a time when ACMs were widespread, so it’s safest to assume asbestos is still very much an issue. We regularly find asbestos in the area, in in ceilings, walls, pipe lagging, floor tiles, or insulation.

Asbestos exposure is deadly, and anyone working in environments where asbestos is present must receive proper training. Untrained handling of asbestos can release dangerous fibres, putting workers, occupants, and the public at serious risk. DIY guides and online tutorials are not substitutes for certified training, especially when legal compliance and health are on the line.

Recently, a report in the Hull Daily Mail reported that unskilled workers had attempted to remove asbestos tiles armed with nothing more than hammers at a local shop building. While this may have saved time and money, the costs are genuinely lethal to the people who undertook this task. In this particular case, workers took down a total of 1000m2 of the asbestos board, meaning that the exposure to themselves and anyone in the vicinity would be extensive. They are all likely to see some health impacts from this in the future.