Asbestos Soil Stack.

[Foodface]

Just been to look at a job to install a bathroom for a builder, old one was ripped out and left WC connection going through the wall to a cast iron stack. I was flirting about and went to look at the pipe and he said to be careful cos he thought it was asbestos pipe.

I've never come across such pipework before and was a bit taken a back, it's an old 1930's house with old pipe work etc etc but I was wondering if anyone else has had this or something similar.

Foodface.

 

[smtplumbing]

Did not no they did them in soil. I no they do them in vent eg warm air unit

 

[Mike Jackson]

I've seen loads round this way. They seem quite common in local authority housing stock.

 

[Best]

Very common & normal to see them on houses built in the early 1960s & earlier, over here.
They do look very like cast iron.
The tee junctions tend to crack easily.

 

[Centralheatking]

READ below but your probably right - you have 3 choices - 1-walk away 2. do it with all elf stuff
3. Do it our way - if its only a small amount just wet it all up plenty and remove it cerefully then bag up the mush - CHK

Just been to look at a job to install a bathroom for a builder, old one was ripped out and left WC connection going through the wall to a cast iron stack. I was flirting about and went to look at the pipe and he said to be careful cos he thought it was asbestos pipe.

I've never come across such pipework before and was a bit taken a back, it's an old 1930's house with old pipe work etc etc but I was wondering if anyone else has had this or something similar.

Foodface.

 

[Reg Man]

Go on HSE web site and get Abestos removal documents. It will advise you on safest way to remove and dispose.

 

[Foodface]

The builder had already cut it wet and removed it, I just walked and was looking to see if I could get the pan connector in. Hands all over it, thought he was mistaken too as I've never come across this before. Hope I didn't breath owt in, but it was in one piece so hopefully should be OK. It's been a long time since I was in college but they never mentioned asbestos soil pipes. Learn something new everyday in this game.

 

[DaveTidy]

Don't forget gents, the asbestos barbs that can kill you are the size of a pin-head outside of human focus. Even wetting it can put them into your breathing space as you don't catch them all.

If you think the job has already been done so you can go back in the working area and carry on breathing, the removal companies test the breathing space and measure contamination in parts per million; they then supply a clean air certificate if satisfied so you can be confident that the working area is safe so I wouldn't trust anyone; is the builder an asbestos removal expert and certificated tester?

There are plenty of videos about on the net and HSE site where people just do it, or just wet it, or the last bloke said it was ok now or thats the way we always do it and we're ok (for now).............dead is dead.

My only advice is, it's your neck and there is easy accessible guidance on the HSE site for free, why not read it over a coffee and then protect yourself by leaving it. For the other guys who think this is over kill, it's their neck, it ain't worth it, are you getting paid extra for the risks?

That's it rant over.........plenty of posts on here regarding this and why not to do it but there are always going to be the risk takers that think health and safety if for idiots...........Hmmmm

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Everyone has their own view on this, and a lot say it's just scaremongering and not to worry about it, some think it's almost a test of how manly you are as an individual! Personally I don't touch the stuff.....I have a young family and don't want to risk taking it into my home for them to digest.
Its already been said, the barbs stay suspended in the air for a long time so if it's not been done right it really won't matter how you deal with it now.

 

[Best]

We probably walk past or touch asbestos virtually every day without realising it!
There probably are different types of asbestos, some that are a lot less harmless.
Think of this, - brake pads in vehicles contained asbestos until not long ago, water mains pipes, roofing slates, some pipe lagging, electrical insulation & wire coverings, boiler refractory material, asbestos rope, boiler flue pipes, soil pipes, gutters & down pipes, sofitt boards, corrugated roofs & believe it or not those black cisterns on toilets I was told!

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

It's about education, we know it's dangerous so we leave it alone, previously it was a wonder material....i wonder what what will be the "new" asbestos? MDF is a contender!

 

[Best]

It's about education, we know it's dangerous so we leave it alone, previously it was a wonder material....i wonder what what will be the "new" asbestos? MDF is a contender!

Yea, MDF & probably any very fine dust of hardwood timbers, also that white foam cavity wall insulation used years ago, but fibreglass gets my bet as a future hazardous material.

 

[AWheating]

personally i would walk away. you dont know the risk, its not been risk assessed correctly by a competent person, why put you life in danger for a few quid. Any builder who thinks just alittle water makes this stuff safe to cut or remove is a complete idiot.

 

[basildog]

Asbestos is everywhere !
The old vinyl floor tiles
Artex
some plaster
lagging
and yes many old soil pipes
roof slates
ceilings with fire board
boiler flues
Most is not classed as a big risk but a bit of safety makes sense !

 

[DaveTidy]

Gents

Take a few minutes and watch Chris's story, he was a pipe fitter....

The Hidden Killer - Christopher Morgan's Story

 

[chris watkins]

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a14.pdf
Lets not go overboard on this one, I am all for working safe - So read the HSE guides !!!
You can work with this stuff & safely.

 

[DaveTidy]

Not so sure as I agree on this one Chris, you can work on asbestos as long as you follow the guidelines that must be specific to the same situation on the worksheet, not similar.

The last set of asbestos pipeing we were due to remove was to all intensive purposes ok to remove as it was bonded asbestos but it was installed with the joints being packed with the worst sort of asbestos rope! which you are not allowed to work on unless licensed and in a controlled atmosphere.

The asbestos rope was packed in the joints and finished with a water sealant. We had to get a removal company to take the piping out and issue a special TB to the engineers to ensure that although the piping looked ok, the asbestos rope wasn't; never as easy as it looks eh?