I'm worried

[veryworriedmum19]

So my uncle was drilling through our ceiling to put some wiring in to install a light anyways, player and stuff went everywhere and I realised that his plaster has hair in it, researched it and apparently it is horse hair plaster which could contain anthrax so scared we been out at risk and also my toddler son managed to pick up some and our it in his mouth the bits I didn't notice and didn't clean and couldn't get the hair out In time before he swallowed it could he get ill I'm so so worried

I didn't know this. A quick google tells me that after 1919 animal hair used in plaster was disinfected.

I would say the risks are negligible.

Now I'm worried there is asbestos in there I'm so worried !

Get someone out to check

It's a council house and the expensive of getting someone of is gonna cost a lot. Now I'm worried I'm going to get into to trouble for drilling ceiling and installing lights didn't think it was wrong so worried I'm having panic attack's

If it's a council house contact the council now, u shouldn't have to pay a penny.. asbestos is only a risk once it's disturbed..
Now it has been

If the house was last plastered after 1999 then there will definitely be no asbestos in it. If there has ever been a referb(is it council owned?) then the risk of asbestos would have been picked up on and tested and would be on the tenancy agreement (although most councils would just get rid of it)

My dad is a H&S Advisor, he does asbestos surveys for lots of Local Authorities, and I worked for him and wrote them all up for him so I know more than I should of this very boring subject

@northwalesmum thank you!!
I'm not sure when it was plastered last. All I can see is the wood the horse hair (which I find very weird btw) and then the plaster. I've googled all sorts from anthrax and asbestos and now my son ate some ink panicking! I was going to phone the council and get their advice but I'm worried I will get into trouble for putting lights up in ceiling ! But I thought you could do things like that. What would happen if it did contain asbestos and he ate some and he's been drilling through the ceiling!

You have to get someone in to confirm what the ceiling is made from.

As someone said above, removal of asbestos is very expensive but confirming what is, is not the expensive part.

You need to make some calls today and deal with this. I understand you are stressed but this is a safety risk to your child so tey to stay calm and pick up the phone for help. Today.

If it's still a council owned property there is no way there is asbestos in there, it's just not allowed, if there is you can report them to the HSA. But check your tenancy agreement to see what it says about changes to the house and decorating etc.

Asbestos is something that affects the lungs after the very fine dust particles were inhaled and takes up to 15 years to cause its damage. It's not a given, and depending on the type of asbestos it has varying degrees of severity. It doesn't sound like the real really bad stuff which was sprayed onto pipes as insulation so it will probably cause no harm IF it is asbestos which is unlikely if the property is council owned or was bought off the council after 1999 xx

@northwalesmum thanks again! I don't know when the council bought his property I've lived here 8 years and I think am elderly man before me but not certain.
Here is a pick of the open ceiling
I'm just so worried and I know maybe I shouldn't be but I am. I know it's expensive testing it but I'm tempted too.

The things is tho the council did make a hole in the bathroom ceiling when they fitted a new shower and a light a few years back so surely the ceilings are all the time and they didn't seem concerned ripping a hole into it? I'm still so worried, don't know what to do to relieve it

All local authorities have registers of any properties that contain asbestos. If there were any concerns about it they would have told you in your tenancy agreement what potentially contained asbestos. If you're worried contact them, it's such a serious subject they will move quickly as asbestos claims run into millions if someone does actually inhale it and it causes asbestosis.
I really wouldn't worry about asbestos or anthrax though as the local authority have a duty to ensure your home is fit to live in and I'm fairly confident they wouldn't leave a house with dangerous building materials. (I don't work for a local authority but in insurance who deal with them)

@northwalesmum unfortunately a number of local authority houses do contain asbestos. They must be noted on a register and tenants advised what they can and can't do. Normally tenants are advised not to remove/touch ceilings or areas which may contain asbestos.

@wheresmarybloodypoppins I was never advised about not to touch ceilings or anything but we put lights in because it's so dark in our house we needed them

And I do regret it now. What if I tell the council I put these lights in and I'm worried what will they do? Can they evict me?

No, they won't evict you.

@veryworriedmum19 honestly I really wouldn't worry, if there were any concerns the council would have told you.
What does your tenancy agreement say about doing works to the house? If it says you shouldn't do works etc I'm sure the worst they would do is say put it back the way it was when you moved in. Don't worry about this either, they will be far more worried about people destroying houses rather than making them better

Not been sleeping. Having panic attacks over this?! Feel guilty. And and can't tell the council on fear of what they say or what if they tell me the materials do contain asbestos. We only installed the extra lights because my house gets very very dark and I know the council wouldn't do them for us! If there was asbestos in the ceiling would the council have known when they got the property. I'm worried for my family mostly my son I can't sleep it's affecting my mental health

Jesus talk about making a mountain out of a molehill

If you are that concerned either hire a builder who can answer your questions, or contact the council. There is no way strangers online can tell you what you want to know

Just researched and can find very few cases of anthrax in humans in the UK. Looks like only one death since 1981 So very unlikely indeed you need to worry about that. I’d get the council round to assess for asbestos too just in case. Don’t worry about putting lights in, they won’t evict you! I’d imagine the worst case scenario is they tell you to put it back to how it was before.