Posted By Ron Hunter You share a surname with a firm operating in the asbestos industry! Much good material available from HSE books. If your angle is more one of research/epidemiology then perhaps "The effects on health of exposure to asbestos" by R.Doll & Julian Peto? This is also available from HSE Books - check out their website. Generally, the ranking of risk (highest first) is contained on page 25 of "Introduction to Asbestos Essentials" hSG213: 1.Sprayed coatings/loose fill 2.Laggings and packings 3.AIB 4.Ropes and gaskets 5.Millboard and paper 6.Asbestos cement 7.Floor tiles, mastic and roof felt 8.Decorative paints and plasters. You'll see that this ranking is based on the friability of the material, i.e. potential to release fibres. Asbestos fibre type (crocidolite/amosite etc) is a secondary consideration.

Posted By ken mosley I would suggest you get hold of 'Asbestos Risk Management - Presenters Pack' from HSE priced £25. Don't worry about the title it's full of good stuff and not just for doing a presentation. It contains literature, resource material on CD and a 30 minute video.

Posted By Dave Wilson Roger, Although asbestos in its purest forms are more or less dangerous in comparision, its all about the expected release of fibres into the atmosphere when undertaking work on this stuff or people coming into contact with it. Some ACM's (Asbestos Containing Materials) have a very low fibre content and are bound in tightly and some do not and are very friable. In essence its the potential for release of fibres coupled with the current state of the ACM and the likelyhood of coming into contact with that potential release is the overriding factor. Thermoplastic floor tiles and Friable pipe lagging are examples. The floor may be in a bad way and requires removing which does not require a licence and if the Pipe lagging is in good condition and is in an area where people would not go then it is best left alone and 'managed'. The HSE produce tables which give a likely fibre release dependant on what you are going to do with the ACM. If the likely fibre release is above the action level then you will need a licenced contractor to do that work for you. An asbestos survey will give you an indication on the Risks associated with the ACM's found on your premises it is then up to you to manage that. Its all about potential fibre release!