Asbestos is often very difficult to identify by sight, which is why the Octief Group offer an asbestos identification service whereby laboratory analysis is carried out on the material.
Sampling of anything suspected to contain asbestos is very hazardous and should only be practiced by a competent person and analyzed only in an accredited laboratory.
When asbestos is partly identified the owner must :
- identify the locations of all asbestos-containing material and determine whether any inaccessible areas are likely to contain asbestos-containing material
- identify the types, for example asbestos cement sheet, asbestos lagging on pipes and flues, asbestos-containing material gaskets in plant or machinery
- identify the condition of the asbestos-containing material, i.e. damaged or intact
Only those competent in the asbestos identification practices are permitted to carry out these tasks.