Our Voltimum Experts answer your questions on a daily basis in our Technical Expertise area. This Question of the Day, concerning old switchgear and distribution boards, is answered by the IEE:
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| This old switchgear contains dangerous asbestos. |
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Question: Is it true that some old switchgear used absestos as an insulation material? If so, where can I find out which manufacturers used it and what products it was used in? Many thanks.
Answer: Yes, asbestos matting was sometimes used in fuse carriers and the like. For further information, contact the British Electrotechnical & Allied Manufacturers' Association (BEAMA) on (tel) 0207 793 3000, or go to BEAMA's website at www.beama.org.uk.
Voltimum UK Managing Editor James Hunt says: Asbestos is a mineral fibre, once commonly used for insulation and as a fire retardant in a wide range of industrial applications (such as switchgear), and in many building construction materials. Is is dangerous once disturbed. Breathing the fibres in may lead to asbestos-related lung diseases, mainly cancers. These kill more people than any other single work-related illness. Building or machine maintenance, refurbishment and demolition work can lead to disturbance, so it is essential that all such work be managed to ensure that asbestos exposure is kept to a minimum.
The Health & Safety Executive's (HSE) revised regulations regarding surveying for asbestos within workplaces is the 'Method for Determining Hazardous Substances' (MDHS100). This, in conjunction with the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulation (CAWR), sets out the guidelines for surveying for Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in all non-domestic premises. All non-domestic properties fall into this scope, and the final reports must be kept on site and be readily available to any person(s) working or entering the premises. Moreover, surveys carried out must meet the criteria set out in the MDHS100. There are currently around 1.7m properties to be surveyed and with only 100 qualified surveyors available.
To see many more Q & A in Voltimum UK's Experts Area, please click on the link: http://www.voltimum.co.uk/consult.php?universe=consult.index.questions
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