Asbestos is a general term used to describe a number of naturally occurring minerals found within certain types of rock. When mined, asbestos fibres were found to have many useful properties, including high tensile strength (it’s 7x times stronger than steel), high resistance to heat, chemicals and acoustics. These properties of asbestos, as well as being cheap to mine meant asbestos was used extensively as building materials throughout the 20th century.
There are two groups of Asbestos - Serpentine and Amphibole. The Serpentine group is characterised by curly fibres (think Serpent = Snake) whereas Amphiboles are long, straight, needle-like fibres.
Asbestos can be categorised into 6 different types. The most common types used in buildings throughout New Zealand are:
The most serious health problems occur when asbestos fibres are inhaled. When asbestos fibres are inhaled, the fibres align within the air stream and can be carried into the lungs where they become lodged. The human body's natural defence is unable to dispose of the foreign fibres. This causes fibrosis or tumours in these areas and can lead to a number of health effects ranging from non-fatal to fatal.
The only way to know 100% if a material contains asbestos is to have a small sample tested at an accredited laboratory. This can be achieved through a basic sample collection of materials of concern or a thorough detailed survey of an area or building. Learn more about the range of services to suit your requirements.
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There are many different approaches to dealing with asbestos materials. Asbestos removal eliminates the problem altogether. However, in some cases, it may not be the safest or most practical solution to remove all asbestos materials. There is also the immediate cost to consider. Identified asbestos materials can be kept in situ and managed. Find out about the options available to you.
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The Hazard Management team have developed an online asbestos awareness course which aims to help homeowners, business owners and tradespeople better understand asbestos and the dangers it can pose.
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Hazard Management provide asbestos advice and services to clients across New Zealand. Our dedicated and professional Auckland based team have carried out work in Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and various regional centres across the country.