Common Asbestos Materials

Common asbestos containing materials are pictured below;

Asbestos coated metal sheet (Galbestos)

Usage: Galvanised iron sheets with a coating of asbestos on each side. commonly used as external roof and wall cladding.

Vermiculite

Usage: provides fire rated insulation in industrial and commercial buildings. Might also be used as a decorative finish to ceilings.

Block insulation / lagging

Usage: provides heat insulation for pipes and vessels, more commonly found in industrial properties.

Mastic sealant

Usage: joint sealant within building structures, air conditioning plant and ductwork.

Compressed gaskets

Usage: provides heat and chemical resistance within pipework flange joins.

Sheet vinyl floor covering with millboard backing

Usage: floor and bench top covering.

Limpet (White Asbestos)

Usage: provides fire protection on beams, walls, ceilings, and penetrations. Might provide sound insulation.

Limpet (Brown Asbestos)

Usage: provides fire protection on beams, walls, ceilings, and penetrations. Might provide sound insulation.

Limpet (Blue Asbestos)

Usage: provides fire protection on beams, walls, ceilings, and penetrations. Might provide sound insulation.

Bituminous membrane (malthoid)

Usage: prevents water movement across the membrane. Might be present on building roofs, as a lining inside tanks or around buried pipework or structures.

Millboard

Usage: provides heat and chemical resistance, and non-conductive seal in electrical components. This sample was taken from the back of an electrical switchboard.

Black tar electrical board (Zelemite)

Usage: commonly used as a backing board for electrical components, i.e. switchboards, fuse panels, gauges etc. found in domestic and commercial premises.

Fire door core insulation

Usage: fire rated insulation lining present within fire doors. Doors may have several different layers.

Woven asbestos rope/cloth

Usage: flexible heat and electrical insulation barrier. Wide application. Can commonly be found lining older ceramic electrical fuses.

Low density fibre board (Asbestolux)

Usage: commonly used as interior fire resistant ceiling sheeting and upper wall linings.

Laminated cement sheet

Usage: decorative cladding used in domestic construction, commonly in wet areas.

Tile Adhesive (Blackjack glue)

Usage: commonly used as a vinyl tile adhesive.

Vinyl tile

Usage: commonly used as floor and wall coverings.

Asbestos cement

Usage: heat resistant filling material for building penetrations and voids. Also used as a fire rating material on critical building fittings.

Corrugated cement sheet

Usage: primarily used as roof and external wall cladding throughout industrial and residential buildings.

Cement sheet

Usage: various uses such as cladding and underlay in construction. Chemical, heat, moisture and pest resistant.