Our Expertise
Asbestos Surveys in Manchester, Stockport and Nationwide
Knight Specialist Surveys can conduct Asbestos Management Surveys or Asbestos Refurbishment and Asbestos Demolition Surveys across the North West and Nationwide. Our team cover Greater Manchester and Stockport as well as Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield.
Counties we reach with Asbestos Surveys
We have worked all over the UK carrying out Asbestos Surveys on both commercial and residential properties in Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
We can also attend surveys in and around Greater London, Staffordshire, North Wales, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and the South West.
Types of properties we have surveyed
You name it – we’ve carried out a survey on it! Knight Specialist surveys have visited schools, colleges, hospitals, care homes, garages, dairies, factories – all kinds of commercial buildings as well as many residential properties too.
Do you suspect you may have asbestos present and are planning works?
Speak to Knight Specialist Services and we can advise the best type of asbestos survey to suit your project.
Call us on 0161 333 0767 or use our contact page HERE.
Where is Asbestos Found?
Asbestos can be found in any residential or commercial building built or refurbished before 2000. The material was banned for use in 1999, but there are obviously many older buildings where it is still present.
Common use of asbestos in residential properties
Inside an older standard dwelling built before 2000 you might find asbestos typically around he following areas:
As Insulation – so around water tanks, on pipework, as loose fill insulation, around a boiler or inside an airing cupboard.
Asbestos can also be present in a partition wall, in a fuse box or behind a fireplace. Sometimes it has been used as decorative ceiling coating, for example Artex.
Outside a property you might find asbestos around the roof – on soffits, gutters or downpipes. It is very common in the form or corrugated asbestos cement roofing on garages, and sometimes window panels.
Common use of asbestos in commercial properties
Industrial properties tend to have more asbestos use – especially where more pipework is present. Sprayed asbestos can e found on columns, beams, walls and ceilings. Also partition walls, floor and ceiling tiles and fire doors can contain asbestos.
Asbestos has also been used around toilet cisterns and seats, and also in some fire retardent textiles. You might also find it on flues.
Do you suspect you may have asbestos present and are planning works?
Speak to Knight Specialist Services and we can advise the best type of asbestos survey to suit your project.
Call us on 0161 333 0767 or use our contact page HERE.
The Dangers of Asbestos
Why is Asbestos so Dangerous?
Although the use of asbestos in buildings now is illegal; the existence of asbestos materials in older buildings continues to kill around 5000 workers every year. Predominantly tradespeople as they work on buildings – around 20 deaths every week are as a result of exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is usually safe when it is not disturbed; it is when it is damaged that the harmful fibres are released into the air. Breathing in these fibres causes serious health problems. The following diseases can result from asbestos exposure:
Asbestosis
This is a scarring of the lungs following prolonged exposure to asbestos over many years. It causes shortness of breath and in severe cases is fatal.
Asbestos-related Lung Cancer
A similar looking cancer to that caused by smoking, Asbestos related lung cancer can also be fatal and is a result of exposure to asbestos fibres. People who smoke in addition to being exposed to asbestos are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which targets the lung lining and lower digestive system. It is mainly caused by exposure to asbestos and by the point of diagnosis it is usually fatal.
Pleural Thickening
A common problem after repeated exposure to asbestos fibres is the thickening of the lung lining. This can start to squeeze the lung and in turn cause shortness of breath.
Duty to Manage Asbestos
If asbestos is suspected to be present on a property and there are works planned to demolish or renovate then it is important to understand how it needs to be managed. The legal requirements for this are available on the HSE website HERE.
Knight Specialist Services can assist by first carrying out a survey to establish is asbestos is present, and then if necessary putting together an Asbestos Management plan. Call us today on 0161 333 0767 or get in touch through our contact page.
Asbestos Surveys in Stockport, Manchester and Nationwide
We are based in the North West of England but we are able to offer affordable Asbestos consultancy and management services nationwide. Our team cover Greater Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham and London with professional asbestos surveys, sampling and consultancy to ensure your business complies with necessary legislation. Furthermore, we can reach locations across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire. For complete Asbestos Services look no further.
