Diagrams showing where asbestos can occur in buildings

Asbestos can be found in any industrial or residential building built or refurbished before the year 2000.

It is in many of the common materials used in the building trade that you may come across during your work.

We have a page with photographs showing locations of asbestos and actions to take.

There is also guidance on why asbestos is dangerous and where it can be found.

Industrial property

An industrial property that highlights where asbestos may be found

Inside

A. asbestos rope seals, gaskets and paper

B. toilet cistern

C. textured decorating coatings on walls and ceilings, for example Artex

D. asbestos insulating board (AIB) panels in fire doors

E. AIB partition walls

F. asbestos cement water tank

G. asbestos flash guards in a fuse box

H. vinyl floor tiles backed with asbestos paper and bitumen adhesive

I. lagging on boilers and pipes

J. loose fill insulation

K. AIB ceiling tiles

L. sprayed coatings on ceilings, walls, beams and columns

M. AIB around boilers

Outside

1. profiled asbestos cement roof

2. asbestos cement pipe

3. AIB or asbestos cement soffits and fascias

4. asbestos cement panels

5. asbestos cement gutters and downpipes

Residential property

A residential property that highlights where asbestos may be found

Inside

A. asbestos insulating board (AIB) around boiler

B. toilet cistern

C. vinyl floor tiles backed with asbestos paper and bitumen adhesive

D. AIB or asbestos cement bath panels

E. AIB ceiling tiles

F. AIB airing cupboard and/or sprayed insulation coating boiler

G. pipe lagging

H. AIB partition wall

I. asbestos cement water tank

J. AIB behind fuse box

K. textured decorative coating, for example Artex

L. loose fill insulation

M. AIB behind fire

N. AIB or asbestos cement interior window panel

Outside

1. AIB or asbestos cement soffits and fascias

2. roofing felt

3. asbestos cement roof tiles/slates

4. asbestos cement panels

5. profiled asbestos cement sheeting

6. AIB or asbestos cement exterior window panel

7. gutters and asbestos cement downpipes

Posters

These diagrams are also available as priced posters from HSE Books. They will make workers, building owners, landlords, employers or those responsible for building maintenance aware of where asbestos can be found in buildings: