Asbestos Awareness
Asbestos was banned in the UAE in 2006 following Ministerial Council Decision 39 ‘Prohibition of Import, Production and Use of asbestos Sheets/Board’. However the deadly material is still very much present in the Middle East region and in many cases, the public are unaware of the dangers these materials pose and just how often they may appear in our daily activities.
Anthesis Consulting Middle East have surveyed a variety of sites, of all ages, and identified Asbestos in buildings constructed as recently as 2020. Asbestos is still in circulation within the region and as a first step, an Asbestos Survey could help identify any potential risks posed by the material.
There are over 3200 different products that contain Asbestos fibers but due to little awareness, people often think only Asbestos cement sheets are a danger. Common building materials such as roof sheets, partition walls, gaskets, insulation, ceiling tiles and pipes can all contain Asbestos and these materials are still being acquired; ready to be installed in new construction projects.
Anthesis Consulting Middle East have recently found Asbestos in plant rooms, car parks, electrics, pipework and across building uses such as schools, power plants, hospitals and construction sites. Asbestos can even be used within the building fabric, inside walls and doors for fire proofing, in ceiling voids as fire breaks or to insulate internals of cables and piping. It’s important to communicate the threat Asbestos still holds in the region and make everyone aware of its’ dangers and just how often we can come in to contact with it.
An Asbestos Management Survey or Refurbishment Survey could help identify Asbestos at your site, Anthesis Consulting Middle East can put together risk ratings, recommendations and assist in managing or even removing your Asbestos.
If you have any Asbestos related concerns, contact us to see how Anthesis Consulting Middle East can help you:
Charles Faulkner (Head of Environment, Health and Safety and Asbestos Team Leader)
Phone: +971 (0) 50 5541 320
Email: asbestos@anthesisgroup.com