Rope, textiles & gaskets
removal
Asbestos rope, textile, and gasket materials were widely used throughout the UK for heat resistance, fireproofing, sealing, and insulation purposes. These asbestos containing materials were commonly installed in industrial equipment, heating systems, and older commercial buildings between the 1940s and 1990s.
what are asbestos rope, textiles & gaskets?
Facts:
Asbestos Type: Chrysotile (most common)
Amosite
Crocidolite
Colour: White, Brown, Blue
Commonly Found: Boiler Rooms & Plant Rooms, Industrial Machinery, Pipework & Heating Systems, Fire Protection Application, Factories & Industrial Premises, Older Commercial & Public Buildings
Popular In: Power Generation, Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Manufacturing & Heavy Industry, Heating & Mechanical Engineering, Construction & Public Infrastructure
Good to know: Many asbestos rope, textile, and gasket materials remain hidden inside older machinery and heating systems today. Even if a building has been renovated, original asbestos containing seals and insulation materials may still be present.
Risk: Medium
materials were widely used in the UK with its main period of use from the 1930s to late 1980s. They became especially common during the post war industrial expansion, large scale commercial construction, growth of central heating systems and heavy manufacturing and shipbuilding industries.
Asbestos rope and gasket materials were widely used in fireplaces, stoves, and heating appliances because they could withstand very high temperatures. Asbestos rope was commonly used around stove doors, fireplace doors, flue joints, burner seals and fireproof access panels. Gaskets were frequently installed within gas fires, solid fuel stoves, back boilers, fireplace flue systems and heating appliances.
Rope, Textiles & Gaskets
CAN YOU IDENTIFY IT BY SIGHT?
Asbestos Rope, Textiles, & Gaskets can sometimes look distinctive but you cannot confirm asbestos just by looking at them. These materials can look similar: Asbestos Rope vs modern ceramic fibre rope, Asbestos Gasket vs graphite/rubber gasket, Asbestos Cloth vs fibreglass heat tape
- Rope (including fireplace rope) may appear white, grey or off-white braided cord with a fibrous or slightly fluffy texture.
- Textiles may appear woven cloth or fabric sheets, white, grey or light tan colour.
- Gaskets may appear flat ring or sheet material, brown, grey or black compressed fibre.
was woven or braided using asbestos fibres and commonly used for boiler door seals, furnace seals, pipe wrapping, expansion joints and fireproof packing materials. Chrysotile (White Asbestos) was most commonly used in rope with a typical asbestos content ranging from 20% - 90% depending on use.
types of asbestos materials
Asbestos Rope
Asbestos Textiles
included fire blankets, protective clothing, heat resistant cloth, welding curtains, insulation tape, and thermal products. These products were manufactured by weaving asbestos fibres into cloth like materials. Chrysotile (White Asbestos) was most commonly used in textiles with a typical asbestos content ranging from 50% - 100% depending on product type.
were compressed sealing products used to prevent leaks in pipe flanges, boilers, pumps, valves, industrial machinery and heating systems. They were often mixed with rubber, cement, or bonding compounds. Chrysotile (White Asbestos) was most commonly used in gaskets with a typical asbestos content ranging from 15% - 80% depending on application and performance requirements.
Asbestos Gaskets
These materials can easily be mistaken for non-asbestos alternatives. Visual appearance alone is not reliable. Asbestos fibres are most likely to be released when materials are cut or scraped during maintenance, broken during removal, aged and deteriorating, exposed during refurbishment or demolition.
Depending on condition and activity, asbestos rope, textiles, and gaskets may fall under licensed asbestos work, notifiable non-licensed work, or non-licensed work. A full Risk Assessment will determine the category.
What You Should Know
our projects
more projects
coming soon