What should I do to avoid exposure to asbestos dust?

Even though the use of asbestos insulation and most types of asbestos are now banned, much of the asbestos used in the past is still there. Asbestos is used for: 

• fire protection (sprayed onto steelwork, concrete walls and ceilings); 
• insulation or lagging on pipework, boilers and ducts in buildings and factories; 
• insulated partitions, fire doors and ceiling tiles; and 
• cement products, such as sheeting on walls and roofs, tiles, cold water tanks, gutters, pipes and in decorative plaster finishes. 

Before you start any job, your employer has a duty to carry out an asbestos risk assessment. Do not start work until this assessment has been carried out. Stop any job immediately if you suspect asbestos is present in any material.