What Are The Risks Associated With Asbestos In A Fire?

 

Asbestos poses a major health risk, causing serious damage to the lungs and respiratory system upon exposure. When damaged by fire, asbestos can present even greater risks. We are examining the risks associated with asbestos and fire to address this issue.

One major concern with asbestos and fire is that it was commonly used in building structural components. Materials such as support beam cladding, firebreaks, doors, and ceiling coatings often contain asbestos. While this was beneficial for fire protection due to the strength and heat resistance of asbestos fibres, it also poses significant health risks.

The main issue presented by asbestos materials during fires is that the fire destroys the materials containing the asbestos fibres. The breakdown of these materials can lead to a significant release of fibres. Asbestos has a much higher melting point than other construction materials, as shown in the table below.

Melting point of fibreglass = 1,121°C

Melting point of plaster = 1,200°C

Melting point of steel = 1,370°C

Melting point of Asbestos = 1,521°C

Therefore, if the fire temperature gets too hot, the building construction will deteriorate as the building materials burn in the fire. This can make the building structurally dangerous to firefighters searching for people and hazardous from the asbestos fibre left damaged in the building. Damaged asbestos materials release asbestos fibre, which can then become airborne. Once airborne, they can be inhaled. This exposure can lead to developing asbestos-related diseases, although this may not be visible immediately. It can take anything from 15 to 50 years for signs of lung problems caused by asbestos to become visible.

Safety of Fire Fighters

People who are most at risk from these types of materials during fires are firefighters, who regularly have to enter buildings and attempt to rescue people who are trapped or complete searches. While modern uniforms are outfitted with materials to prevent inhaling these hazardous materials, the risk remains. People who spend a long time in the building when it is burning are also at risk, as they lack the protective equipment which firefighters and emergency services will have. Also, people located close to the fire will be at risk of exposure to hazardous materials extruding from the burning building.

Overall, the risk of asbestos exposure following or during a fire is quite high. The fibres may be released into the atmosphere following an interaction with the intense heat, as well as the structural integrity of the building.

The risk was highlighted by the fall of the World Trade Center towers on 9/11, which released a massive dust cloud containing heavy metals, burning plastics, and hundreds of tons of pulverized asbestos. In the following months, thousands of firefighters from across the country and members of the New York Fire Department dug through the contaminated rubble without adequate respiratory protection.

As a result, first responders exposed to asbestos dust have suffered and continue to suffer from various lung cancers. The death toll is expected to increase over the next few decades due to the fact that asbestos-related cancers, such as mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer, typically take at least 20 years to develop after exposure.

The main law related to asbestos in the UK is the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, more commonly known as CAR 2012.

CAR 2012 applies to virtually all non-domestic buildings, and if you own, manage, or operate a building, it is your responsibility to ensure the workplace meets the required standards. HSG264 defines two types of asbestos surveys that can be undertaken to locate and assess the condition of ACMs: Management Surveys and Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys.

If you already have an Asbestos Management Survey for your property, you must periodically complete an Asbestos Re-inspection Survey to check the condition of any identified ACMs, ensuring they are clearly labelled and kept in good condition.

Please contact us today for more information or to schedule an Asbestos Survey.

RM Risk Management

0121 236 0642

sales@test1.rmriskmanagement.co.uk

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