[CF Facilities]

Hi I quoted a customer today for a gutter clear.

The problem is that it is asbestos guttering. I will be using a gutter vac.

Has anyone had any problems with asbestos guttering.

It looks old and fragile so I would be careful anyway but I don't want to blast fibres into the atmosphere.

Any comments appreciated.

[PoleKing]

Asbestos is only dangerous when broken and even then, it's not as bad as all the H&S warriors would like us to believe.
Be careful. You'll be fine.

[CF Facilities]

I thought so too. I have been on an awareness course for asbestos and it was a bit scary.

[SeanK]

Wouldn't go within a hundred miles of it with a gutter vac.
But my honest advice would be to ask somebody who's qualified to
give advice on this subject.
I'm sure there are companies out there who could and would be happy to answer your concerns.

[PoleKing]

I thought so too. I have been on an awareness course for asbestos and it was a bit scary.

I used to get involved in teaching that.
In 20 years time the same course will be taught but the subject will be MDF.
Think about it: they're not gonna say 'this £3,000 course someone has paid to put you on-it's actually BS'
They've gotta sell it.
Same as the Impact43 boys that used to troll this site. It's all about the drama.

[rosskesava]

Mesothelioma isn't a scare story and neither are the long term health risks associated with asbestos.

I didn't know much about it untill a customer of mine who was a retired builder died from it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

[PoleKing]

Mesothelioma isn't a scare story and neither are the long term health risks associated with asbestos.

I didn't know much about it untill a customer of mine who was a retired builder died from it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

This is what I mean Ross.
One gutter isn't gonna do any more damage than 20 Marlboro lights.
20 years of working with it in an enclosed space is an entirely different scenario.
It cando damage but in the levels we experience it in the 21st century-not as much as they'd like you to believe.

[rosskesava]

This is what I mean Ross.
One gutter isn't gonna do any more damage than 20 Marlboro lights.
20 years of working with it in an enclosed space is an entirely different scenario.
It cando damage but in the levels we experience it in the 21st century-not as much as they'd like you to believe.

The thing is it only takes one tiny fibre to stick in the lungs and that's it.

The builder bloke I mentioned had a large contract during the 70's removing asbestos panels from a school. He died from cancer as a result yet his business partner brother who did the same work is still alive, healthy and kicking.

The problem with asbestos is there is no safe exposure level and it can take from 15 to 50 years for the cancer to appear.

With asbestos gutters and a gutter vax, it'll be sucking up fibres from the gutter and then blowing them out the exhaust air from the gutter vax. I don't know that I'd want to chance it how ever small the risk probably is.

[PoleKing]

This is what I mean Ross.
One gutter isn't gonna do any more damage than 20 Marlboro lights.
20 years of working with it in an enclosed space is an entirely different scenario.
It cando damage but in the levels we experience it in the 21st century-not as much as they'd like you to believe.

The thing is it only takes one tiny fibre to stick in the lungs and that's it.

The builder bloke I mentioned had a large contract during the 70's removing asbestos panels from a school. He died from cancer as a result yet his business partner brother who did the same work is still alive, healthy and kicking.

The problem with asbestos is there is no safe exposure level and it can take from 15 to 50 years for the cancer to appear.

With asbestos gutters and a gutter vax, it'll be sucking up fibres from the gutter and then blowing them out the exhaust air from the gutter vax. I don't know that I'd want to chance it how ever small the risk probably is.

Fair enough.
You say one 'large' contract though. How many years working with it?
1 fibre? Nah. 1 fibre ain't gonna do anything bud.
There is absolutely no chance of this gutter job giving the OP cancer in half a century.
It's not the scraping of asbestos that causes issues it's the snapping action. Breaking the fibres. There's the issue.
I respectfully disagree.

[rosskesava]

Fair enough.
You say one 'large' contract though. How many years working with it?
1 fibre? Nah. 1 fibre ain't gonna do anything bud.
There is absolutely no chance of this gutter job giving the OP cancer in half a century.
It's not the scraping of asbestos that causes issues it's the snapping action. Breaking the fibres. There's the issue.
I respectfully disagree.

One large contract? TBH, I don't know how long. The builder bloke said the doctors reckoned that's when he became infected, if that's the right word.

By 'one fibre', I mean it only takes one fibre out of the (possibly) millions breathed in and out to stick in the lungs and that fibre may be so small it can be only seen under a microscope.

The scraping of asbestos, there's video's on you tube that show that fibres are released into the air from a scraping action. That's why there is no recommended safe exposure level to asbestos. The breaking or snapping of asbestos obviously produces much more. All in all, it's unknown what levels of exposure are hazardous which is why there is no safe level of exposure.

[Darranvps]

We often do 100s of housing association gutter cleaning jobs
We have all had asbestos training and both the housing association and me - tell our boys to Never touch them

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Rosskesava is correct. There was a case where a teacher died years later- from pushing drawing pins into asbestos classroom display boards!! My old gaffer has just died of it too, they reckon it was from his days as a firefighter.

[Ian101]

We often do 100s of housing association gutter cleaning jobs
We have all had asbestos training and both the housing association and me - tell our boys to Never touch them

totally agree ... no need to risk it with a gutter vac blowing dust everywhere ... move on .... NEXT CUSTOMER PLEASE !!

[Chris Buchan]

My dad has asbestosis from working with the stuff decades ago.

He gets out of breath quickly and needs a lie down after going to the shop just down the street.He's got one of them oxygen things which helps.

He narrowed it down to two or three jobs working around asbestos,one was working near guys cutting up the stuff,It wasn't over long periods of time he changed jobs a lot.

He can't remember all the jobs he did so he can't be sure though,he's getting worse with parkinsons.

He got £4 grand compensation a couple of years ago.

[CF Facilities]

We often do 100s of housing association gutter cleaning jobs
We have all had asbestos training and both the housing association and me - tell our boys to Never touch them

totally agree ... no need to risk it with a gutter vac blowing dust everywhere ... move on .... NEXT CUSTOMER PLEASE !!

Thanks 101 and everyone else. I have checked hse website and it can be done by wetting it down etc  but personally not the risk I want to take.

So I'll call her today and give her the bad news. Its not my regular crusty anyway it's my mates so I'll lose nothing.

[EandM]

Mesothelioma isn't a scare story and neither are the long term health risks associated with asbestos.

I didn't know much about it untill a customer of mine who was a retired builder died from it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

It killed my great uncle and my first boss. It was pipe lagging that exposed them to the asbestos.