AIBU to tell dh to leave it and get his parents to call in a professional?

[HeadfirstForHalos]

DH is a qualified electrician, but he works in industry not within peoples homes. He is fitting some lights in ILs hallway as a free favour(those little round flush fit ones) and upon drilling the holes has discovered a layer of asbestos above the plaster.

I only know this as I called him to ask MIL if she had a washbag dd1 could borrow for trip next week, he told me then. Apparently he has some rubber mask on his dad had in the garage and he thinks that is fine. I asked him if he has the dust on his clothes/hair and he does apparently.

I have told him to leave it, sponge of his clothes, shower and get them to call an expert on asbestos tomorrow, but he's just got cross with me and said he's busy. I called him an idiot and hung up.

I'm pissed off at his stupidity and very concerned at the same time, am I overreacting?

[TopazMortmain]

No! I would react in same way. Tell him to stop being a hero about something so stupid.

[CeliaFate]

Asbestos is lethal and has to be dealt with by professionals. The fibres are now in the air and are a potential hazard to his parents as well as to dh and to you if he comes home with fibres attached to his clothes.

[MrsGaff]

I don't thing you're overreacting but if he wants to risk his health by being showered in asbestos that's up to him, the bloody idiot.

All you can really do is insist that he cleans himself at the IL's house and disposes of his clothes before letting him back into your home.

[HeadfirstForHalos]

Thanks for the replies.

He has just called back, his mum has just checked in her bureau and found the reciept for the work (she keeps records or everything). Apparently this sheet was fitted in 2000 and is the safe asbestos. Is there any such thing?

I'm very touchy about the stuff after watching my grandmother die painfully 10 years ago of mesothelioma caused by working in a factory that made firefighters uniforms with the stuff in her youth.

[HeadfirstForHalos]

I'm still angry with him though, even if it is safe, he didn't know that and continued with the work. He must have considered it some sort of hazard to don a mask.

[80sMum]

As he's not an expert, he cannot know whether the material he's found actually is asbestos or whether it's a harmless substitute. However, if the house is more than 40 years old, it's very likely that the substance is indeed asbestos insulation board (AIB). There are guidelines and protocols on how to work with this substance safely. In many cases, only licenced companies are permitted work with certain types of asbestos, but some jobs can be done unlicenced. Guidelines for drilling into AIB can be found on the HSE website.
Be aware that there are plenty of companies standing by ready to charge you a fortune for removing asbestos which, if left alone, is harmless to health. There is a lot of scaremongering out there. The asbestos watchdog website may be helpful to you.

[gaaagh]

I think your DH has been utterly stupid, and YANBU to be furious.

One of the implications of having children is thinking not just of yourself, and whether your DH wants to play Russian Roulette with his health to such an obvious extent isn't really a decision that he has now that he's a father, and therefore responsible for raising children. Not to say that non-parents should be taking risks but it does strike me as a concern that he'd so obviously risk his health / your health / his parents health /children's health e.g. by exposing it and possibly brining contaminated clothing back, etc. Reckless, I suppose, is the right word - but reckless in a way which affects many more people than just himself.

Being "busy" isn't really going to cut it as an excuse with me, i'm afraid.

[slavetofilofax]

I would react in exactly the same way you have. Your parents are being as unreasonable as he is by allowing him to continue.

I think I would tell him not to come home until he could prove there was no risk, and then I would tell him he's be on his own if it caused him to get ill.

[kakapo]

the thing is though, he wouldn't be on his own if he got ill. the op and her kids could be though!!

[NinkyNonker]

My parents would categorically not allow him to continue. He should step away and call an expert. A family friend died of asbestosis the other month and it is not pleasant.

[PeneloPeePitstop]

I'd absolutely make him clean himself, shower and come home in different clothes.

[Birdsgottafly]

No doubt an expert will come along soon.

If the product is from 2000, it won't be the asbestos. The type used in domestic houses on the ceiling/floors is low level asbestos, used pre 1990's. You can remove and handle it yourself, however safety precautions should be used.

He should double bag all of the waste including the hoover bag and his clothes. No one should breathe in the dust.