Would you go to someone's house if they'd just had asbestos removed?

[Cheesemachine]

Hello, I'm hoping for some opinions. I'm due to visit an old uni friend's this weekend with my family and I discovered last night via a text exchange that they've just had some asbestos removed in the entrance to their house (apparently the ceiling there was asbestos insulation board). They've had it all done by a professional firm which and cost ££££ but since then I've wondered if I should really take my children there in case there is any danger - it's my understanding that they can't get rid of literally ever single fibre that may have been released in the removal process.

A couple of other friends are due to go too with their families and having spoken to one of them she is not concerned and thinks I'm being a bit OTT in considering not going. But is it worth the risk? And friend who's house it is also believes it to be completely safe (although she's not really going to think otherwise is she!)

We've not all got together for years and pinning a date down is always difficult so it would probably mean not seeing them all together for a long time.

Thanks for reading and I would be grateful of your opinions

I'm an asbestos surveyor and air tester. The removal will have been done as a 4 stage clearance as it is a notifiable product. You are perfectly safe to go to the house. There will have been a thorough visual inspection and air test before it was signed off by a UKAS accredited company.

Thank you for all of the replies. I think I've decided I will go. I haven't seen these friends for years and they're such a good bunch. As far as I'm aware none of them are concerened and I would really like to see my friend's new house too (it looks amazing!) I've checked with my friend and she does have clearance certificates which she's happy to show me, although I feel better just knowing she's got them so probably won't even bother asking when we're there.

I've been to so many friends houses that have done renovations over the years that I'm thinking I've probably been to one or two that have maybe not realised they've got the stuff and dealt with it incorrectly so am reassured that this friend has dealt with it the right way and very stringently it would seem.

Thanks for all your advice and to those in the know that have posted

My friend just lost his lung from this last month, he's only 28. That's why. Keep safe.

He was on a life support machine after the operation. Good luck and keep safe.

@Jupiter9 was it mesothelioma? Very very unusual in someone of that age, as the latency of the disease is usually 15+ years from exposure. I assume he was significantly exposed as a child through some means.

Usually identifiable in that situation - a parent or older sibling working in a trade where asbestos was brought home? Are you in the UK?

@Jupiter9
That's extremely unusual. Did your friend have asbestosis?

It was from ceilings being removed and the dust causing his problem a few months on. Perhaps I'm just over cautious. Good luck and have a great time.

@Jupiter9 so was he there when the ceilings were removed without protection? Or were the ceilings removed professionally? And what sort of ceilings were they?

I've never heard of someone having issues a few months on and having a lung removed - are you in the uk?

The problem started after a few months, progressively got worse. After 2 years was offered the operation to prevent damage to other lung.

I can't go into too much detail because there is potentially a industrial case. It happened in the work place office. He keeped working in there whilst work was carried out.

Yes to the UK.

@Jupiter9 are you sure all this information is accurate? I've never heard of someone getting ill this soon after exposure. And were the ceilings taken down with no enclosure?

@SilverHairedCat interested to know what you think of Jupiter's posts. I've never heard anything like this before...

Removed by a professional firm? Yes absolutely I’d still go!

@Cheesemachine is like to know the diagnosis, as the latency period for asbestos related disease is very long, certainly not a few months.

The friend could, however, have developed unrelated and coincidental lung issues. They will have a hard time proving a case of cause and effect if they are claiming asbestos related disease.

I'm guessing there is more to it. There are more things in the dusts and dirts of ceiling removal that can cause lung issues than just asbestos, which would be much quicker to cause lung irritation, but not cancers. They are easily preventable, and in terms of you visiting will be long gone and will have been hoovered up and never again a risk to you.

Demolition is a dirty job, and the workers get blasé about it.

Silicosis can be acute, but requires a huge dose for the to happen. Look at the emergency service workers at 9/11 for example.
Asthmagens can cause asthma quite suddenly.
Rat urine can lead to respiratory failure in severe cases.
Silicosis, mesothelioma etc do not have sudden onset due to the way they attack the body.

Also, removing one lung to protect the other is not linked to any industrial lung disease I'm familiar with, so this may be outside my ken.

I don't want to hijack your thread. So enjoy yourself with friends and don't worry.

Yes I thought it sounded highly unlikely. You really do have to take so much of what is said on here with a pinch of salt.

I'd say probably safer than last time you visited!

Thanks again @SilverHairedCat

Yes I would go if they had the asbestos removed by a suitably qualified and experienced company. They will have had air monitoring afterwards and show you the air monitoring certificates. The idea of removing asbestos is to make a place safe (it is safe if not disturbed or broken but renovation will often reveal asbestos hitherto not suspected and obviously bits will break).

I know about this because my husband is a demolition and asbestos removal consultant.