Standard profile corrugated asbestos cement sheeting is like the baby brother of ‘Super-Six’ and looks similar to corrugated iron. It’s often found in the construction of old domestic garages and sheds and in addition it can be found on commercial buildings such factories, shops and farm sheds. It was used for both wall and roof applications and is fixed on with screws and nails.

Fact file:

Years of manufacture:

Standard profile corrugated asbestos cement sheeting was made from circa 1940′s into the 1970′s.

Significant Manufacturers:

James Hardie & Coy manufactured these type sheets under the trade name of Fibrolite Standard Corrugated Sheets. Wunderlich also manufactured similar sheets with a trade name of Durabestos standard corrugated sheets.

Dimensions:

• Width: 800mm (2 feet 7 1/2 inches).
• Pitch (distance between corrugations): 76mm (3 inches).
• Depth: 25mm (1 inch).
• Standard Lengths: 1.2 metres to 3 metres (4 feet to 10 feet).
• Corrugations: 11 ridges top side (see picture below).

Cellulose (asbestos free) equivalents:

No cellulose or asbestos free equivalent products were made. This saves a lot of guess work, which often occurs with other types asbestos sheeting’s and modern equivalents (such as Super Six, HardiFence and Hardiflex). It’s asbestos, so take all the usual asbestos precautions when dealing with it.

Dangers and safety precautions:

These sheets are manufactured from white asbestos (chrysotile) and early sheets may possibly contain blue asbestos (crocidolite) along with cement and silica. Inhalation of  asbestos fibres may lead to asbestosis and/or mesothelioma. The usual protective clothing should be worn such as disposable overalls, P2 respirator, gloves and boots.

Sheets should be removed intact, avoiding breakage. Sheets should be wrapped in black builders plastic and sealed with duct tape prior to disposal.

*Special caution for removing roof sheeting*: Exercise extreme caution when removing standard corrugated sheeting from the roof. These sheets can be particularly fragile and if walked on you risk falling through. Not only will you be hurt when you hit the ground but you will receive deep cuts from the broken sheeting as you fall through.

Pictures of standard corrugated asbestos sheeting:

A domestic garage cladded with standard corrugated asbestos sheeting. This one has a steel frame and wood purlins along with sheet metal door. Popular in the 1960′s and 70′s.

Check the diamond shaped washer with bitumen seal. These are used on the roof and sides.  Nails are also used.

Internal view of garage. Wall and roof.

 Standard profile: Underside view of roof.

Asbestos corner moulding is used here.

Close up of standard profile: Note the 11 ridges.

Hardies 1963 catalogue with details of Fibrolite Standard Corrugated Sheets.

References:

1. James Hardies & Coy Pty Ltd Price List September 1963 page 12.
2. Building and Allied Trades Association (BATA Industry Magazine) (Vic) December 1962 Price Guide Materials section.

A similar situation occurred in some overseas countries…

United States:

Significant cases that come to mind were:

• Johns Manville, a large manufacturer of asbestos products was driven to near bankruptcy in the early 1980′s due to the number asbestos related claims.
• W.R Grace exposed the entire town of Libby, Montana to asbestos with its vermiculite mining operations. The vermiculite was found to be contaminated with asbestos and was unfortunately also used in a vermiculite based insulation sold under the name of Zonolite. The company continued to mine and produce the product up to 1990 despite knowing the vermiculite it mined was contaminated and the subsequent health effects of asbestos. The United States government estimate 35 millions homes contain vermiculite…many of which used the asbestos contaminated variety. As a result of adverse health effects, W.R. Grace was subject to 270,000 lawsuits for damages. W.R Grace was driven to near bankruptcy in 2001.

Europe:

• Eternit, a large European asbestos manufacturing company, the Italian division went bankrupt in 1986, was in the news recently (Feb 2012), when an Italian court in Turin found former owners, Swiss billionaire, Stephan Schmidheiny and a Belgian baron, Louis de Cartier de Marchienne guilty of failing to provide a safe work environment for workers, and exposing nearby residents to asbestos dust.

More about Eternit here: Eternit and the Great Asbestos Trial

Worldwide and just like in Australia, asbestos cement was a big part of the building industry, especially in the post war years where it was heavily promoted as a cheaper and faster alternative to traditional methods of building construction. In some parts of the world, asbestos is still a key component of fibre cement products, notably, India, Pakistan, Indonesia and China are still importing raw Chrysotile (white asbestos) for manufacture of asbestos cement products…which is surprising since the technology for producing asbestos free fibre cement is available and the risks of being exposed to asbestos fibres is well documented.

With that in mind, I present readers with some interesting photos of asbestos from overseas….

Eastern Europe: Bosnia & Herzegovina

  
An abandoned house with asbestos roof in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Photo by Jason Kovacevic.

What’s concerning about the above house, is it looks to be in state of disrepair and may be subject to renovation or demolition. There is quite a coverage of asbestos cement sheeting on the roof and when the time comes for repairs or demolition, one wonders if the demolition crew will take the appropriate safety precautions for asbestos disposal to prevent the workers and neighbours being exposed to asbestos fibres. Secondly, the demolition crew should be aware of the risk of ‘fall through’, as corrugated asbestos cement roof sheets like this become brittle as they age. Also inside the house there could be more asbestos, such flat sheeting on the ceiling or walls and dangerous friable asbestos lagging over hot water pipes.

Broken asbestos sheeting left in vacant lot. Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Photo by Jason Kovacevic.

Indiscriminate or illegal dumping looks to be a problem in Bosnia & Herzegovina also. Breaking up sheets like this can release dangerous asbestos fibres into the surroundings which can be inhaled.

Asbestos roof of a restaurant in the small town of Celebici. Photo by Jason Kovacevic.

The same roof close up. The roof is made of corrugated asbestos cement. Photo by Jason Kovacevic.

The above roof looks well weathered and in a poor state of repair…the leaves and moss don’t help the appearance either. The corrugated asbestos sheets look to be quite short and I can’t see how it’s fixed on, presumably screws or nails are covered by the overlapping sheet. The ridge capping also looks to be made from moulded asbestos. Though left as it is, I’d say the occasional asbestos fibre would be released into the surroundings, however the biggest potential danger will come if the roof is demolished without proper precautions. Any smashing up of the sheeting and throwing into a truck or dump bin will release huge amounts of asbestos fibres, exposing the workers and nearby residents. In addition, the fragile state of the roof makes it a danger to walk on with risk of falling through.

Again in Mostar…Though the house has a clay or concrete tiled roof, there is a spare sheet of corrugated asbestos leaning against the gutter to act as a makeshift awning. Photo by Jason Kovacevic.

In the above picture we can see how a piece of asbestos sheeting is being recycled. Though recycling is good idea, but not for asbestos cement sheeting. The problem with reusing old sheets like this is each time the sheet is moved or transported, there is potential for release of asbestos fibres and exposing the person handling the sheet. For example, when the sheet is being transported in the back of trailer or ute there will be some scraping due to loading & unloading, which will release asbestos. Also, the new owner may be tempted the drill and cut the sheet to size, thus again releasing even more asbestos fibres.

Taipei, Taiwan

A factory in Taiwan constructed from corrugated asbestos cement sheeting. Photo by Stephanie Low.

A quick search on the internet reveals that Taiwan looks still to manufacturing products made from asbestos eg. brake pads & asbestos cement. However, a plan for phasing out asbestos will begin in 2015, and by 2020 manufacturing of all construction materials made from asbestos will cease.

Well.. that’s the plan.

In the mean time, there is growing legacy of asbestos products. Let’s hope the Taiwanese know how to safely demolish and dispose of buildings made from asbestos cement without causing damage to workers lungs and nearby residents. Not to mention the extremely hazardous forms of friable asbestos such asbestos insulation lagging found in oil refineries, power stations and ships.

Old factory in Taipei cladded in corrugated asbestos cement sheeting. Photo by Stephanie Low.

Taiwan factory constructed from asbestos cement sheeting. Photo by Stephanie Low.

Factory walls constructed from asbestos cement sheeting. Photo by Stephanie Low.

Exhaust fan hoods. Asbestos sheeting is simply broken to make clearance. Photo by Stephanie Low.

Close-up of the wall. Asbestos sheeting is broken where steel frame pokes out. Photo by Stephanie Low.

Side view of factory with asbestos cement walls with modern Taipei in the background. Photo by Stephanie Low.

Further along shows more of the factory. Walls have been replaced by sheet metal but it still has asbestos roof. Photo by Stephanie Low.

Malaysia

Asbestos Roofs:

Carport with asbestos roof. SS2, Petaling Jaya (KL). Shallower corrugations on this sheet, looks to be locally made product known as Humedex.

Asbestos roofs are quite common in Malaysia, particularly in older and established areas. It seemed to be one of the building materials of choice in the 1960′s 70′s & 80′s for especially for cheaper, economical constructions and extensions. Entire factories were built from corrugated asbestos cement sheets and many are still in use…(Australia also had plenty of industrial buildings built the same way).

There seems to be two types of corrugated asbestos sheets often seen in Malaysia:

• Humedex: Has the shallower corrugations.
• HumeSix: Has deeper corrugations, similar to Hardies SuperSix.

Thankfully, concrete tiles and sheet metal roofs are now nearly always used on new constructions in Malaysia.

Market building with asbestos roof. Penang. Note the deeper corrugations, probably HumeSix.

Penang. House with asbestos roof. Looks like HumeSix.

Petaling Jaya. This building is a school. SMK Taman SEA has an asbestos roof.

Close up of the roof of the same school, SMK Taman SEA. Petaling Jaya. Sheeting appears to be Humedex.

Small roof over a Telekom Malaysia junction box in Alor Star, made from corrugated asbestos cement.

 
Ipoh: Many older factories in Malaysia similar to this typically have asbestos roofs

Ceilings:

Striated asbestos sheeting used in the ceiling of house. Kelana Jaya (KL)

Demolition & Illegal Dumping:

Petaling Jaya: Illegal dumping of builders rubble including asbestos sheeting.

I’ve noticed a fair bit of illegal dumping in Malaysia. What’s concerning is the amount of asbestos being dumped along with builders rubble. It often happens on vacant land, or anywhere on the outskirts of town. As you’d expect, this is simply to avoid paying fees at the proper landfill sites.

 
Demolition: Asbestos sheeting broken into smaller pieces, Petaling Jaya (KL)

Unfortunately, many builders who are involved in demolition of older structures tend to smash up asbestos cement sheeting, as it’s easier to handle this way.  This very dangerous method releases LOTS of asbestos fibres into the surroundings. Incidentally, many foreign workers are employed in the building industry who are often desperate for a job and will do anything, and usually for quite low wages. Quite often the bosses are either ignorant or don’t care about worker safety.

Demolition aftermath: Broken up asbestos sheeting ready to be picked up, Petaling Jaya.

Broken up asbestos roof sheeting from demolition of a shop house. Taiping, Perak

Asbestos pipe dumped on spare lot. SS2, Petaling Jaya (KL)

Manufacture & For Sale:

Humedex asbestos roof sheeting for sale in Penang.

In my investigations I came across a hardware store in Penang displaying *new* Humedex sheets for sale displayed outside the warehouse. Though Humedex’s popularity has dwindled over the years, there is still a market for replacement sheets for older buildings.

I was fortunate to find and photograph a plastic information wrapper on this batch of Humedex. These sheets were recently manufactured, 14 October 2011 and come in red and grey colours.

Humedex plastic wrapping showing the manufacturer as Hume Cemboard Berhad.

I was surprised to see these sheets did not contain any asbestos warning labels. Nothing at all. I could not find a specification sheet from the manufacturer and very little information is available on the internet about these sheets, which is surprising considering how widespread their use is. I also notice resellers of Humedex always to refer to asbestos based products as ‘fibre cement’ and very little is mentioned about the real composition… and if it is mentioned, then it’s abbreviated to ‘AC’…the abbreviations stands for Asbestos Cement, of course.

Humedex plastic wrapping showing do and do not’s with a fixing and installation guide, but no asbestos warning?

Malex factory with some of their products.

This is the Malex fibre cement factory located in Section 51 Petaling Jaya (KL). It looks as if they are producing cellulose based fibre cement sheeting, but I spotted these pallets of ridge capping, curved roof components and corrugated sheeting and wondering if they are also making asbestos based products as well. Some further investigation is required.

Conclusion:

I hope this article gives readers an insight into asbestos of three other countries, which like Australia, have a legacy of asbestos. But it makes me wonder about the awareness, or more precisely, the lack of, for people in these countries…do they know the dangers of asbestos?… let alone how to identify it and deal with it safely. Bear in mind, the economics of asbestos removal for some people in these countries can be a big factor and when it comes to renovation or demolition of structures containing asbestos, then it’s tempting to do it the cheapest way possible. As for laws regarding asbestos, yes there there are laws and standards, it’s easy for governments pass laws. But quite often the laws are not enforced or the the laws are not applicable in certain circumstances such as domestic or DIY renovations.

I’ve recently come across a series of excellent asbestos removal videos on the Gippsland Asbestos Related Diseases Support website (http://gards.org). The videos are from a DVD which is included as part of the “asbestos in the home - removal kit“ that is available to Latrobe City council residents to assist them with small asbestos removal jobs. The kit includes instructions, plastic disposal bags, duct tape, disposable coveralls, gloves, respirator etc. all for $20. More about the kit here.

Included with the kit is also a great 11min DVD, which gives an example of how to safely remove asbestos cement(AC) sheeting from a bathroom, from preparation to disposal. GARDS have kindly put up the video on their website for everyone to see… for free. The procedure in these videos, is an excellent guide for home renovators all over Australia, who may encounter asbestos during a renovation or demolition project and would like to know more about safe DIY asbestos removal.

The video is in 7 parts:

1. Introduction
2. Kit contents
3. Preparation
4. Suit up
5. Asbestos removal
6. Clean up and disposal
7. Conclusion 

About GARDS…

Gippsland Asbestos Related Diseases Support(GARDS) is a non profit, volunteer organisation dedicated to helping victims and families of asbestos related diseases. They also promote awareness and safe disposal of asbestos products throughout the community and industry. GARDS holds regular meetings (in Newborough, Latrobe Valley Victoria) and accepts tax deductible donations. For more information, check GARDS website http://gards.org

Proper analysis of asbestos can only be done with some highly specialized equipment. Depending on the type of sample to be analysed, these methods include:

• Polarised Light Microscopy (PLM)
• Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM)
• Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
• Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
• Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer microanalysis (EDS)

More about these methods here.

Also, check out these great close up images of asbestos from Microanalysis Australia.

Below left:Asbestos (crocidolite) fibres as seen using Polarised Light Microscopy (PLM).
Below right: Asbestos insulation board magnified.

 Photo Credits: sarflondondunc

Three good reasons for sampling suspect materials:

1. Occupational health and safety. During a renovation or demolition you should make clear whether or not any suspect material contains asbestos. Any material with a positive result will need to be dealt with carefully during removal and disposal. Not only is this vital for DIY (Do It Yourself) renovators, but for any subcontractors working on your site with any suspect material. A laboratory report with a negative result will go a long way to convincing subcontractors they do not need to worry about working with asbestos.
2. Disposal and demolition clearance. Asbestos has become increasingly harder and more expensive to dispose of. For example, many profiles of Hardiflex and Hardifence are difficult to distinguish between those containing asbestos and those made from the safe cellulose based material. Many waste disposal operators specifically state not to dispose of any asbestos products with general waste as this may cause an entire skip bin or truck load to be rejected at the refuse site. A laboratory report will make clear any asbestos and non asbestos material. Also, any old hessian carpet underlay, vinyl tiles and lino may contain asbestos which may concern waste disposal operators. If you’re hiring a skip bin to dispose of a large amount of non asbestos fibre cement sheeting for example, a lab report will provide some documented evidence of the composition, if some question is raised by the disposal company.
3. Sale of property. Generally any asbestos present on a property …or material suspected of being asbestos will detract from the sale price. A negative lab result (no asbestos detectable) of suspect  material will be a bonus, as any renovations or additions done with asbestos free fibro can be proven to be asbestos free. A laboratory report is hard to argue with.

How to take a sample for laboratory analysis.

Equipment you need:

Pliers, resealable plastic bags, P2 respirator mask with disposable cartridge, disposable rubber gloves, PVA glue, plastic drop sheet, water spray bottle.

Preparation:

• Lay down a plastic drop sheet to catch any loose material that may fall off while sampling.
• Put on respirator mask and disposable gloves.
• If you’re doing a particularly dirty job or overhead sampling then wear a pair of disposable coveralls.
• Turn off any fans or air conditioning if you’re inside. If outside, then sample on a non windy day.

Sampling procedure:

• Dampen down the area with the water spray bottle.
• Remove a thumbnail sized piece of material with the pliers. For fibre cement sheeting, take the sample from a corner edge or along an existing hole or crack.
• Place sample into a resealable plastic bag..
• Double bag the sample along with date and location information and asbestos caution warning.

Procedure for sampling fibre cement.

Sampling for asbestos in lino (and lino underlay) and vinyl tiles.

Some older lino and lino underlay/backing may contain asbestos as do some older vinyl tiles. To take a sample, find an open edge of the lino and snip off a triangular shape. If you can’t find an open edge then try using a hole punch to take a sample. With vinyl tiles, use a stanley trimmer to cut a corner off and then lift it carefully with a paint scraper. A hole punch may also be work. It may also be wise to take a few samples from different locations so that you have a representative sample size.

 Sampling carpet underlay

With revelations some carpet underlay was manufactured from hessian bags which were used to transport raw asbestos, you may consider taking a sample for analysis before you start ripping out any old carpet underlay. 

Queensland Laboratory has written great guide to sampling carpet underlay:

Hessian Carpet Underlay – Sampling Procedure.

Sampling friable asbestos

If you’re unfortunate enough to encounter friable asbestos, then you’d better be extra cautious. Friable asbestos is loosely bound material that can easily be crumbled or crushed by hand into a powder when dry(don’t do that) and therefore has the potential to release  asbestos fibres quite easily. Friable asbestos may be found in such places as old heaters and stoves, fuse boxes, ceiling insulation (very rare), acoustic ceiling tiles, lagging on hot water pipes and some types of decorative ceilings.

Above: Old hot water pipe lagging and decorative ceilings may contain friable asbestos. Photos: sarflondondunc

If you encounter any of this, then I’d strongly recommendcalling in a professional asbestos consultant, as friable asbestos should be treated with care. Also keep in mind some Australian states require friable asbestos to be removed by a licensed removalist with an A class certificate. If you insist on sampling friable asbestos yourself then make sure you’re equipped with: full body coveralls, P2 cartridge respirator, safety glasses and disposal gloves. In addition you will need a plastic drop sheet to collect any spillage, a water sprayer, pointed pliers, tweezers, scissors and PVA glue.

Procedure:

• Turn off any fans or air conditioning and close any doors or windows.
• Lay down a plastic drop sheet to collect any spillage.
• Spray sampling area with water to reduce dust.
• Use tweezers, pliers or scissors to take a sample and put into bag, then seal it. Double bag this along with an asbestos warning, date and location.
• Seal sampled area with PVA/water solution.
• Clean up.

Bagging your Samples.

Above: Double bag the sample along with a warning label, date and location.

Clean up:

• Seal the edges with PVA glue such as Aquadhere where the sample was taken.
• Carefully wrap up the plastic drop sheet with tape and then put this into another plastic rubbish bag.
• Wipe down the tools and equipment with a dampened rag.
• Place disposable gloves into rubbish bag along dampened rag and drop sheet.
• Seal plastic bag.
• Wash hands and clothing.
• Keep respirator on until clean up is completed

Laboratory cost and results.

A complete laboratory analysis with a report may cost between $40 to $140 depending on the type of sample submitted and type of analysis method used. TEM/SEM analysis will be more expensive than PLM analysis.

Here are examples of laboratory reports.

Report example 1 – Thanks to Envirolabs Services Sydney for this.

References:

• Surveying, Sampling and Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Materials – Health & Safety Executive (UK Govt.)

Fibro sheeting gained popularity during the post World War II period because of its cheap and durable nature. As a result it became widely used for building of cheaper style houses.

The most likely form of fibro to come across is the flat sheet fibro, often used for outside cladding of houses, sheds and garages. This flat sheeting was simply nailed to the wooden framed structure thus making construction quick and cheap. No wonder is was (and still is) widely used.

It can sometimes be found inside houses such as backrooms, toilets and games rooms. It was especially popular for renovations and additions. Special wet area versions designed for bathrooms and laundries are quite common in older wooden framed houses also. See below.

Asbestos fibro. Widely used from sheds to bathrooms.

James Hardie & Co Fibrolite Products

The main manufacturer of fibro asbestos cement sheeting was James Hardie & Co who produced a whole range of products under the brand name of Fibrolite. The name Fibrolite, was used to describe virtually any of its asbestos cement products such as flat sheeting, corrugated sheeting, decorative profiles, mouldings and pipe. In the 1960’s Hardies gave some products more marketable names such as Hardiflex, Colorbord, Shadowline, Coverline, Tilux, Versilux, Super Six and Asbestolux.

The Fibrolite generation house. Later versions of the sheeting are called Hardiflex.

Top section shows Hardies Shadowline. A decorative asbestos fibro wall cladding.

Popular during the 1960′s and 1970′s.

Fibro and Hardiflex are quite often used under the eaves of brick houses. Beware of old brick houses when doing work to the eaves. These sheets may contain asbestos.

Hardies Tilux. Wet area asbestos fibro used for bathrooms and laundries.

Other Manufacturers

Fibro sheeting was also produced by Wunderlich and under the names of Durabestos and Durawall.

Asbestos Fibro and Non Asbestos Fibro

Not all fibro contains asbestos. Modern fibro equivalents are asbestos free and are manufactured with cellulose fibres sourced from wood pulp. The use of asbestos was phased out in Australia for all fibro building products in the 1980′s.

Below is a guide to the dates when products ceased to be manufactured with asbestos fibre. Be aware that asbestos was slowly phased out (presumably to allow manufacturers to use up stocks of asbestos fibre they had) and some products manufactured around these dates may contain from 3–5 per cent asbestos.

• Hardiflex 1981
• Hardiplank 1981
• Villaboard 1981
• Versilux 1982
• Harditherm 1984
• Drain Pipe 1984
• Super Six 1985
• Highline 1985
• Shadowline 1985
• Coverline 1985
• Roofing Accessories 1985
• Pressure Pipe 1987

From: Management of asbestos in the non-occupational environment by Department of Health and Ageing.

Tips to Identify Asbestos Fibro

It is important to distinguish between fibro that contains asbestos and similar looking modern cellulose based equivalents. James Hardie & Co was a major manufacturer of asbestos fibro and continues to make fibre cement products based on much safer cellulose fibres.

Hardies manufactured flat fibro sheeting originally named Fibrolite which was available in various thicknesses and sheet sizes. During the early 1960′s Hardies began using the name Hardiflex for some of its flat asbestos sheeting. Asbestos versions of Hardiflex was manufactured up to 1981 and there after was replaced by the safer cellulose fibre versions. Note that the name Hardiflex was retained even though the product was now manufactured without asbestos …which may cause some confusion.

Age.

Any structure like a house or shed built in the 1950′s, 60′s and 70′s is a candidate for containing asbestos fibro. Try to find out the date when the house was built by consulting local authority records, the builder, past owners or even the neighbours. Also be aware of any renovations using asbestos fibro. For example, replacing old wooden weatherboards with asbestos fibro was a popular renovation technique, as was doing extentions in asbestos fibro.

Be cautious of buildings constucted in the early to mid 1980′s where asbestos was being phased and being replaced by cellulose fibre cement products. Consult the above table for a guide.

Buildings constructed post 1990 would most certainly be constructed from non asbestos materials.

Fasteners and joiners

External: A dead give away of asbestos fibro is the 40mmx6mm or 75mmx8mm battens used to cover the join between the sheets.  Also note the special fibro nails that do not have a point. The idea behind these was to punch a hole through the sheet and reduce fracturing.  See pic below.

The 40x6mm batten found on asbestos fibro. They often have a bad habit of breaking off as well.

Fibro nail without point. Used on asbestos fibro sheeting.

In addition, there may be various corner and angle sections which is a tell tale sign of old asbestos fibro. See pic below

Asbestos fibro corner

Outside corner section of asbestos fibro

Asbestos fibro angled covering.

Joiners: Aluminium joiners are dead give away that the material is asbestos fibro. Later forms of Hardiflex use plastic strip joiners between the sheets, however be cautious of those buildings in the early 1980′s that might have used asbestos fibro with plastic joiners.

Internal: You may find asbestos fibro inside the house as well. In general, the 40x6mm external battens are not used inside but are replaced with wooden battens or aluminium H section. Also bathroom/laundries may have Tilux, a wet area asbestos fibro with aluminium H section joiners.

The aluminium joiner between the sheets of asbestos Tilux

Internal walls. Fibro joins maybe covered with wooden battens

Plastic joiner as used on modern Hardiflex.

Markings

Later versions of asbestos fibro may have markings: “Contains Asbestos“. Alternatively, some non asbestos fibro/Hardiflex may have markings of:  “Does Not Contain Asbestos”

Some markings are non descriptive such as N28B7 HARDIFLEX AB. Unfortunately James Hardie & Co has not released any information about these codes. If your lucky you might find a date of manufacture marking.

Close Up Inspection

Use a digital camera in macro mode to take a close up shot of the sheet edge. If your lucky you may be able to spot the clumps of asbestos fibres. Although asbestos fibres are microscopic quite often the strands of fibres are clumped together. Typically cellulose based cement products are a lot more uniform without visible fibres and may have a layered appearance.

Warning: Do not deliberately break edges of fibro as harmful asbestos fibres may be released.

Close up shot of asbestos fibro and modern Hardiflex(non asbestos)

Dimples: Older asbestos fibro often has a distinctive dimpled pattern on the back. Compare this to modern HardiFlex.

Notice the dimple pattern on the asbestos fibro when compared to modern non asbestos Hardiflex.

False brick cladding may have a backing sheet of asbestos fibro. Exercise caution.

Fibro asbestos sheets tend to be harder and more brittle than the equivalent non asbestos Hardiflex sheets due the age and hydration of the cement fibre matrix.

Laboratory testing

If all else fails and you want to be absolutely sure with what your dealing with, then the ultimate test is to take a sample for laboratory analysis. A list of laboratories can be found on the NATA(National Association Testing Authorities) website – www.nata.asn.au

Notice that once the fibres enter the lung, it tends to lodge in there without any means of escape, nor is it able to be broken down by the body’s natural defence mechanism.

Such long term effects of lung tissue scarring may lead to more serious conditions of lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Video runs for 2 min 17sec.

Corrugated fibre cement sheets have been used in Australia for over 40 years in either for fencing or roofing. The original product was an asbestos cement product known as Super Six manufactured by James Hardie & Co. and later it became known as Hardifence based on the much safer cellulose fibre. Both products look very similar but how do you distinguish between the two?

The original corrugated “Super Six” asbestos cement sheets were manufactured by James Hardie & Co. from the 1950′s and ceased in 1985. It was widely used as fencing and for roof sheeting with much original Super Six fencing is still in use today.

However, from after 1985 Super Six was replaced by a similar looking product known as Hardifence. This new product eliminated the deadly asbestos fibres and replaced them with the much friendlier and safer cellulose fibre, which is essentially made from wood pulp.

Hardifence is still manufactured to this day and is an excellent product.

To the untrained eye, Super Six and Hardifence look quite similar. However, dealing with Super Six requires special precautions to be taken during its handling and for its disposal due to its asbestos content. Be careful not to dispose of any Super Six sheeting in general waste or skip bins not designed for asbestos disposal as you risk being charged a hefty asbestos disposal fee or even worse, a fine for illegal asbestos disposal.

Is it asbestos Super Six or modern Hardifence?

6 Tips to identify Super Six(asbestos) and Hardifence(non asbestos).

1. Age of the house:

A house built in the late 1980′s and onwards is less likely to have asbestos Super Six fencing installed. Although it’s possible second hand asbestos Super Six sheeting may have been reused the incidence of this is probably low. Likewise an older house is more likely to have asbestos Super Six asbestos fence, which may have been installed in the 1960′ or 70′s.

2. Count the number of ridges:

The latest version of Hardifence has 5 ridges which is a sure sign of being the asbestos free Hardifence rather than Super Six which has 7 ridges.

However, to make matters confusing, early versions of Hardifence have the same profile (7 ridges) as Super Six. See picture above.

These early versions of Hardifence were prone to breakage and often cracked off at the bottom. Also breakage near the diamond washer/nut & bolt fixing is also quite common.

Hardies soon improved Hardifence with deeper corrugations and eliminated the washer, nut & bolt with the top metal capping becoming an integral part to keep the sheets from separating at the top.

3. Markings:

If possible, examine the edge of the sheet to see any indentifiable markings. Hardifence has “Hardifence” printed on there along with  a date of manufacture. Early styles of Hardifence have “Manufactured without asbestos” and a manufacturing date mark.

4. Capping: metal or asbestos cement.

If the fence is fitted with fibre cement capping, then it’s a sure sign that the fence is asbestos.

However, if the fence has metal capping then it’s most likely the fence is Hardifence and does not contain asbestos.

The most recent version of Hardifence is always fitted with metal capping as this is an integral part which keeps the sheets from separating at the top. However, bear in mind that there are plenty of fences where no capping is fitted at all.

5. Finger nail scratch test.

Use your fingernail to scratch the surface of the sheet. If you can gouge a mark in it, then this is a good indicator of being Hardifence rather than Super Six. Generally Hardifence is slightly softer than Super Six.

6. Using digital camera in macro mode:

If you have a digital camera then use the macro mode setting to take a close up picture. Next, find a suitably broken corner or edge to photograph. You can then examine the type of material composition from the comfort of your computer monitor.

Whilst asbestos fibres are microscopic, the asbestos fibre used in the manufacturing process of asbestos cement sheeting was in large clumps or bundles. These fibrous bundles can be seen sticking out near a breakage point or sometimes on a edge of the sheet when you examine the close up photo of your sample. From this you can determine whether or not the material is asbestos cement or not.

By contrast, the cellulose fibres used in Hardifence tend to be bonded more uniformly and fibre lengths tend to be shorter and not as strong. As a result, broken edges of Hardifence almost resemble the appearance of torn cardboard with a soft fuzzy edging. In addition, broken edges of Hardifence may tend to have a layered appearance, probably due to the manufacturing process.

Warning: Do not break any suspect asbestos cement sheeting when taking a close up photo as this will release deadly asbestos fibres which may be breathed in. Better to find an existing broken corner or edge to photograph.

Laboratory testing.

If all else fails, you can take samples to a certified testing laboratory where they can be examined microscopically for asbestos. A list of laboratories can be found on the NATA(National Association Testing Authorities) website – www.nata.asn.au

Links to more asbestos identification tips.

Builder Bill’s DIY Help – Asbestos

Check out Darwin based builder and asbestos removalist Bill Bradley who has some solid advice on identifying and dealing with asbestos cement in buildings for do it yourself renovators.

The devastating health effects were first felt by those who came into contact with the raw material, that being asbestos mine workers, wharfies who unloaded it from ships and workers employed at factories making asbestos products.

But it didn’t stop there.

Many tradesmen such as builders, construction workers, plumbers, electricians and others were exposed to asbestos fibres whilst working with asbestos materials as part of their duties. Little did they know and little did the companies who manufactured the stuff, care, that long term exposure could result in lung disease such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Have we forgotten the many who suffered during the 1990′s with high profile court cases widely publicised in the media and for those who suffered in silence, so easily? Please remember them.

A new generation of home renovators are now dealing with asbestos cement products. But many renovators are unaware of the deadly asbestos contained in their older building materials and how to identify and deal with them. Indeed it’s been suggested there will be a new wave of asbestos related illnesses due to renovators being exposed to asbestos fibres after disturbing asbestos building products when renovating older houses.

Bear in mind, exposure to asbestos fibres will not kill you instantly, the disease can have a latency period of 20 years or more before any symptoms become apparent…and by that time it’s too late.

For the most part, asbestos materials such as fibro roofing, walls and fencing are relatively safe if left undisturbed. However, you may need to deal with asbestos products during renovations, demolitions or when there has been some breakage.

With asbestos fibres being potentially lethal, you may wonder why even attempt a DIY asbestos removal job yourself.

Well here are some reasons:

Advantages

• Cost effective.
• Maybe your only choice in a remote location of Australia.
• Satisfaction of the job done properly.

However, the downside of DIY asbestos removal can be:

Disadvantages:

• Dealing with a hazardous and deadly material.
• Can be physically demanding and dangerous not just from asbestos. For example working on fragile roofs has the potential for you to fall through and there could be back breaking heavy lifting required, not to mention the risk of stepping on nails!
• Requires you to dispose to the removed asbestos in a safe manner.
• Takes up your time.

Examples of materials containing asbestos:

Asbestos fibro clad out-building and sheds

Super Six asbestos fencing. Still very common.

Asbestos chimney for wood heater.

Asbestos fibro walls on house.

This imitation brick cladding contains asbestos.

The backing of old electrical meter boxes may contain asbestos sheet 

called Zelemite.

Asbestos rope insulation used on a wood heater chimney outlet.

This is an example of friable asbestos.

‘Tilux‘ Asbestos wet area walling with smooth finish. Used in bathrooms,

toilets and laundries.

Be aware that some lino floor coverings and the underlay backing may

contain asbestos.

It was recently revealed old hessian bags used to transport raw asbestos 

were later recycled into making carpet underlay. So be careful when

ripping out that old underlay.

Some vinyl floor tiles contain asbestos along with the adhesive used

to stick them down.

Asbestos removal regulations.

Another aspect you may need to consider when planning DIY asbestos removal is any possible restrictions placed on the removal of asbestos from your property by government authorities. Whilst asbestos has been tightly controlled in workplace situations with stringent occupational health and  safety laws for many years, only recently have some state governments decided to control asbestos removal from domestic dwellings by the home owner.

Each Australian state has different laws regulating asbestos removal, in addition some local authorities or councils may also have regulations for handling asbestos, renovations and demolitions. Large renovations may require building and demolition permits and you may be asked to do a asbestos audit before you start.

Make yourself familiar with these laws to avoid any unpleasant fines or prosecutions.

State by state guide to DIY Asbestos regulations:

Queensland

In Queensland you are permitted to remove up to 10 square metres of  bonded asbestos material without a certificate or permit. To remove  and dispose of a greater amount than this then you must use the  services of a licensed asbestos removalist or obtain a ‘B’ class permit. ‘B’ class Permits require you attend a training course and skills assessment before the permit is issued. Loosely bound or friable asbestos such as insulation, lagging, acoustic tiles etc can only be removed by a licenced asbestos removalist with an ‘A’ class certificate.

New South Wales

You are permitted to remove a maximum of 10 square metres of bonded asbestos in New South Wales. Above 10 square metres you must either hire a qualified asbestos removalist or obtain a NSW Workcover bonded asbestos removal licence which requires you to attend an appropriate training course run by TAFE or a registered training organisation. Any loose or friable asbestos must be removed by an qualified asbestos removalist and cannot be removed by the homeowner. Refer to NSW Workcover Fact Sheet Bonded Asbestos and NSW Worksafe Abestos and fibro.

Victoria

In Victoria, home owners do not face any restrictions on removing asbestos materials themselves. However, any contractors employed on the site will be subject to Victorian Worksafe Occupational Health and Safety laws which require the worksite be made safe and the home owner responsible for this. An unlicensed person may remove non-friable asbestos material if the area does not exceed 10 square metres and the total time over which the removal is performed does not exceed one hour per 7 days. A large renovation project may require you to do an audit of asbestos containing materials and notify the Victoria Worksafe Authority. See “Asbestos in the home” and “Asbestos Handbook”

ACT

For the home renovator in the ACT it’s not quite clear how much or if the owner renovator may deal with asbestos themselves. Certainly, tradespeople(builders, plumbers, gas-fitters) may remove up to 10 square metres of bonded asbestos (such as asbestos cement sheeting) provided they have been trained to do so. Larger quantities of asbestos and any friable asbestos (such as insulation or lagging) must be removed by a licenced asbestos removalist. To add to the confusion, the ACT’s Asbestos Awareness website lists a number of safe work fact sheets detailing asbestos removal and working with asbestos. Are these for the home renovator or for tradesmen? What’s going on ACT?

South Australia

Home renovators in South Australia may remove a maximum of 10 square metres of bonded asbestos (such as fibro sheeting) and 0.5 square metres of friable asbestos. Refer to “Asbestos and the home renovator” by Worksafe SA.

Northern Territory

Home renovators in the Northern Territory may personally remove up 10 square metres of asbestos cement material (such as asbestos fibro) without need for a permit. Any removal greater than 10 square metres and removal of friable asbestos (such insulation or lagging) must be done by an asbestos removal contractor issued with an asbestos removal licence issued by NT WorkSafe. Refer to NT Asbesto FAQ and “Information for the DIY/Renovator”

Tasmania

***Updated 3 October 2011***

There are no restrictions on the amount of non friable asbestos you can removal yourself as a DIY renovator…which means you can remove as much asbestos cement sheeting as you like.  However, you must remove it in accordance with the Building Regulations 2004 and must make reasonable steps to identify any asbestos products before commencing work. In addition you must make sure any debris does not fall into public space (and any dust also, I assume). So don’t put your asbestos waste on the front verge!

Any amount of friable asbestos (small or large) cannot be removed by non licensed persons. For good reason… this stuff is just plain dangerous to have around… run away quick if you see friable asbestos.

Of course you must dispose of asbestos waste in a legal manner as well, which will mean a phone call to your local council for the nearest asbestos and hazardous waste disposal site, or getting a bin in from a (reputable) waste removal company that handles asbestos.

Changes for unlicensed contractors:

Recent changes in the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 1998 have reduced the amount of non friable asbestos unlicensed contractors may remove. This for example would apply to handymen, builders, plumbers, roof contractors etc who are not licensed to remove asbestos but employed or contracted by you to do work on your house and may come into contact with asbestos as part of the job. Previously, this was a maximum of 100 square metres, but this is now reduced to 10 square metres… and work must be carried out not exceeding 2 hours over a 7 day period.

Links:

• Changes to Tasmanian Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 1998
• Asbestos in Tasmania Home Renovator DIY

Thanks to Susan Wallace of  Asbestos Free Tasmania for pointing out this update to me.

Western Australia

In Western Australia, home renovators do not require a permit to remove  asbestos themselves in their own homes. An exception is when more than 200 square metres of roofing asbestos cement sheeting is to be removed, which then does require a class 3 demolition licence. Also removal of  friable asbestos  such as thermal and acoustic products ( such as insulation and lagging) must be removed be a licenced contractor.

Next part…. Identifying Asbestos Materials.

Getting quotes from asbestos removal contractor’s is similar to getting quotes from any other contractor such as a tree lopper or builder. As most people are aware, it is wise to obtain several quotes from at least 3 different contractors to get a range of prices. But getting quotes can be more than just getting a figure in dollars, if you dare to ask more questions then you can glean some insight into how well (or badly) the contractor will perform his service. Bearing in mind the hazardous nature of asbestos, you’ll want the job performed in a professional and safe manner, keeping the release of asbestos dust to a minimum. 

Where to start…

1. Finding a list of contractors.

• Yellow Pages Telephone directory and yellowpages.com.au : Any reputable asbestos removal contractor will have listing here and you can narrow down contractors in your area.
• Internet search: Google, Yahoo!, Bing search engines. Many asbestos removal contractors now have websites with details of their services.
• Community Newspaper: For smaller jobs check you local newspaper for asbestos removal contractors.
• Word of mouth:  A recommendation of asbestos removal contractors from friends and acquaintances is another way to find contractors.
• Trade shows and exhibitions.

2. Contacting the asbestos removal contractor.

• Telephone: Many smaller contractors only list a mobile phone number or use an answering service or answering machine… which at times can be frustrating. However, telephoning the contractor is still a great way for first contact.
• Email: Many asbestos contractors now have email. You can make enquires and discuss aspects of the job this way. It might be the way to go if your location is remote or difficult to get to as you can send pictures of the job, even a video file might be helpful.
• SMS:If you can’t contact the contractor directly on his mobile, then try leaving a message via sms with your name, contact details, location and job description.

3. Arrange a time and date for meeting with contractor.

• Arrange a time that suits both you and the contractor. I strongly recommend meeting in daylight hours, this allows you and the contractor to see the full extent of the job thus minimizing any risk of misquote.

4. A few questions to ask the asbestos removal contractor at quote time.

• Ask the contractor how he would do the job: This gives you an idea of what to expect for the flow of  work. The hazardous nature of asbestos means you’ll be wanting to know that the job is done properly as a priority with the release of asbestos dust kept to a minimum.
• Access for vehicles, equipment and disposal bins: Ask the contractor if they need special access for trucks,cranes, cherry pickers etc. Factor this into your plans.
• Insurance: In the event of an accident is the contractor covered by insurance?
• Applicable license and occupational health and safety requirements: Does the contractor have the required permits from state or local authorities to carry out this work. (varies from state to state)
• When can the job be started? Don’t assume the contractor can start immediately as they may have a few jobs booked already. You may to need factor in a waiting period in your schedule of plans.
• How long have they been in business? (optional)
• Are all staff adequately trained? (optional)
• How is the asbestos disposed of? (optional)?

Get a written quote and it should state how long the quote is valid for, such as 2weeks, 1 month or 2months. Remember to get 3 or more quotes from different contractors for comparison.

Choosing the contractor

With a list of prices and information obtained from each of the asbestos removal contractors you are now in a position to choose one. It’s better the choose one who will do the best job, even if it costs a little more. Remember, you get what you pay for, the cheapest quote is not necessarily the best choice.

Comments welcome.