Old Style Fuse Boards With Asbestos Flash Pads

[switch10]

I've ran out of scoobs but thanks everyone for your help on this matter . Just trying to cover myself and appreciate everyone's advice

 

[Manator]

I will not argue who is or is not competent to carry out this work. We all know that training is a minimum, but experience is more important providing complacency does not take over. That's why a 17 year old's car insurance is such higher than a 50 year old's.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a33.pdf

 

[Sidewinder]

Switch, as you have suggested, you also need insurance cover for this.

I know, my business insurance excludes ANYTHING to do with asbestos.

Write to your insurer and ask what they require.

This is one of the reasons, we send a schedule of works to our insurer every year, prior to renewal, that way, they cannot say that they don't know what we want cover for.

 

[kerching]

As Sidey says...check your insurance

I am NOT covered for ANYTHING to do with asbestos

I have NO height limit for working BUT I am excluded from installing aerials!

Never take insurance inclusions for granted!

I ditched my insurers last as year as i was getting spanked by them....used the barstewards for fecking years. Went with different company at about 40% or even less.

Told my old insurers and miraculously they came back with a cheaper quote even though their previous quote was 'the best available'

They then shot themselves in the foot by sending a second email which said "for an extra premium of £35 we can also cover you for 3ph work'....WTF! I went apeshit

Same as being a baker and for an additional,premium you can use flour!!

 

[ProDave]

I have NO height limit for working BUT I am excluded from installing aerials!

Probably because you haven't asked.

I asked how much to cover aerial work and the answer was £0.00  So I am now covered.

 

[NozSpark]

It's normally external aerials that are excluded,,, so fitting them internally is usually covered

Personally I can't be bothered with them so I just put a cable to a point for aerial fitter

 

[kerching]

It's normally external aerials that are excluded,,, so fitting them internally is usually covered

Personally I can't be bothered with them so I just put a cable to a point for aerial fitter

Me too

Cannot be arshed

 

[switch10]

Thanks guys , I have emailed insurance company to ask the question , insurance due for renewal in a months time so be a good time to find out I guess.

 

[Tony S]

Asbestos in these boards only become a danger if disturbed. I have changed a few in my time and the procedure is described somewhere however I cannot remember where.

What I did was to cut all cables where they entered the boards, then I sprayed the inside of the boards with water leaving all the mcb's in place. I removed them from the wall wearing gloves mask and a protective all in one suit, then I placed the whole unit in a plastic bag which in turn was placed into another bag. Disposal was via the local council and marked as asbestos waste.

I use spray adhesive

 

[pickleye]

" such as shadow vacuuming /sheet of area and correct ppe to be worn"

Don't be thinking it's a standard Henry Hoover, like 2 of my former colleagues did as they drilled through asbestos, vacuuming the dust away as they drilled

 

[Andy™]

proper H class vacuum designed for asbestos required. normal vac and you might aswell just throw the asbestos at each other

 

[switch10]

Hi yes I have a type h vacuum given to me by a friend from a asbestos company a few years back when working on a job together. Just waiting on reply from HSE and my insurance company

 

[Sidewinder]

Just remember that once you've used the class h vac, you need to get a licensed asbestos waste carrier to remove it from site and get it emptied by a competent disposal company and subsequently decontaminated!

Also, if you are going to do this ensure that the class h is up to scratch, because if it's dodgy then as has been suggested it will be just as bad if not worse then blowing the fibres around the room yourself.

 

[Essex1]

Suddenly the £380 mentioned in post #13 does not seem that bad.

 

[Evans Electric]

Has anyone found out what we are supposed to do if , say , there was a blown fuse in an old rewirable board with asbestos pads in the fuse carriers .

If you download the H&S  advice it says   " Get an electrician to kill the board  then cut all the cables off  , lever it off the wall and bag it "  Or words to that effect .

Does anyone actually KNOW if it is safe or unsafe to pull the fuse & repair it .  

Or even drill the board , gland an SWA to it and connect it . ?

Or do we say , sorry pal , got to shut you down until specialists have removed this board. ? 

 

[binky]

I think common sense says re-wiring the fuse isn't a problem, but start drilling the casing......I wouldn't!

 

[NozSpark]

The problem is though Binky, is that many types of asbestos have a HSE issued "do not disturb" notice so you shouldnt even open the cover

 

[switch10]

I have this problem this morning on a call out now and 2 blown fuses and a contactor with burnt cables. Customer not allowing me to put fuses back in as asbestos flash pads in board. Were removed by there maintenance man early this morning

 

[Essex1]

I personally think that in order to connect a new circuit or even re-wire a fuse carrier then you run a huge risk of disturbing the asbestos.  So in order to be 100% sure you do not disturb the asbestos that DB should not be altered in any way.  

As good practice anyway the asbestos register should always be checked before you even open up these boards as it should be recorded if there is.

 

[switch10]

Unfortunately people who carry out the checks for asbestos in most places will not open up fuseboards to check as are not qualified to do so as is the case with this board on This job this morning .