Common Asbestos Materials – Asbestos Sheets
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fibre that was commonly used in building materials in Australia prior to the mid-1980s.
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. Can 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. Can also provide sound insulation.
Limpet (Brown Asbestos)
Usage: Provides fire protection on beams, walls, ceilings and penetrations. Can also provide sound insulation.
Limpet (Blue Asbestos)
Usage: Provides fire protection on beams, walls, ceilings and penetrations. Can also 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.
Black tar electrical board (Zelemite)
Usage: Commonly used as a backing board for electrical components, including switchboards, fuse panels and gauges.
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. Commonly found lining older ceramic electrical fuses, as door seals for heaters and ovens, window seals and numerous other uses.
Low density fibre board (Asbestolux)
Usage: Commonly used as interior fire resistant ceiling sheeting and 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.
Brake pads
Usage: Primarily used as friction materials in brake pads and clutch plates present in mechanical, automotive and other applications.