CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskWhere ACMs are most commonly found in buildings constructed before 2000, and what to do if you suspect you have found one.
In care home buildings constructed or refurbished before 2000, asbestos-containing materials are most commonly found in the following locations: ceiling tiles (particularly suspended acoustic tiles from the 1960s to 1980s), vinyl floor tiles and the adhesive used to fix them, pipe lagging on heating and hot water pipework (particularly in plant rooms and ceiling voids), sprayed coatings on structural steelwork and concrete in roof spaces, insulating board used in fire doors, partitions and wall linings (particularly textured coatings -- artex and similar products), roof felt on flat and pitched roofs, soffit boards, and partition wall panels in buildings constructed before 1985. The presence of any of these materials does not confirm asbestos -- only laboratory analysis of a sample can do that.
Asbestos-containing materials cannot be identified by visual inspection alone. The appearance of a material -- its colour, texture, or condition -- gives no reliable indication of whether it contains asbestos. White asbestos (chrysotile), blue asbestos (crocidolite) and brown asbestos (amosite) all have distinct fibre types, but in finished building products none of these characteristics are visible. Only laboratory analysis of a sample taken by a competent person can confirm or exclude the presence of asbestos. Any claim that a material is asbestos-free based on visual inspection alone, or because it appears in good condition, should not be relied upon.
If you suspect that a material may contain asbestos -- for example, because it is in a location where ACMs are commonly found in buildings of that age, or because it has been damaged -- do not disturb it, drill into it, or attempt to sample it yourself. Seal off the area if the material has been damaged and may be releasing fibres. Contact your asbestos surveyor or a licensed asbestos contractor for advice. They can arrange for a sample to be taken safely and submitted for laboratory analysis. If you are in any doubt about whether a material is safe, treat it as though it contains asbestos until analysis proves otherwise -- this is the precautionary approach mandated by the duty to manage.
Not all ACMs present the same level of risk. The risk from an ACM depends primarily on its condition and the likelihood of disturbance. Intact, well-bound ACMs -- such as floor tiles in good condition, or insulating board that is undamaged and unlikely to be disturbed -- can often be safely managed in place. Damaged, friable, or at-risk materials -- such as pipe lagging that has been disturbed, or textured coatings that are flaking -- require active intervention: encapsulation, repair, or removal by a licensed contractor, depending on the specific risk. Your asbestos surveyor will assess each material and recommend the appropriate management strategy, which should be recorded in your management plan.
Any staff member who may encounter ACMs in the course of their duties -- including maintenance staff, domestic staff, and any contractors -- must be given information about the location, type and condition of ACMs before they work in areas where those materials are present. This is a legal requirement under Regulation 4(10) of CAR 2012. For maintenance staff and contractors, this information should come from the asbestos register and management plan. For care staff who may inadvertently disturb materials -- for example, by moving furniture or carrying out minor repairs -- a briefing on what to look for and what to do if they suspect they have found an ACM is best practice and demonstrates due diligence.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.