Electricians are being warned that they face danger working on any house constructed before 1983. It is almost certain that the backing board housing the electricity meter, switches and fuses contains asbestos. If they are called upon to make new installations to support the addition of solar energy panels or to simply add new power points to a home, working on this asbestos product delivers a deadly danger to them and their families.
This asbestos product is safe while it remains inert, but the moment work requires drilling or sawing the dust that may be inhaled can cause asbestosis, and even dust deposited on clothing may be carried into the family home and contaminate other members of the family. No exposure to asbestos is safe and this warning advises that masks must be worn and disposable outer clothing is needed to eliminate dust transfer.
The use of asbestos as meter backing boards seemed sensible before 1983. The meter box was the joining point for all the house wiring and as a consequence it needed maximum fire safety in case of a short circuit. The problem is that this dangerous material now exists in most of our housing stock and replacing that backing board will cost a fortune - and be dangerous work for those tasked with the job.
The standard procedure for making products containing asbestos safe is to wet them down to eliminate dust and particles from floating in the air, but water and electricity simply don't mix. It seems likely that those working to replace asbestos backing board will need to wear a full body safety suit with an independent air supply. Home owners will shudder at the likely cost of rectifying this new electricity problem.
Unfortunately, this is not something that can be ignored. We live in an age when the installation of solar energy panels is happening to more homes each year and with global warming home owners are turning to air conditioning to beat the summer heat. Every time such a sale occurs, changes to the meter box become essential.
This is a headache for the government, home owners, the electrical industry - and most of all - for the electricians who actually need to work on meter boxes. There is a danger that some " cowboy " types will simply ignore the warning and do this work unprotected, triggering off a new wave of asbestos related claims in the decades ahead.
All the parties involved need to address this problem with a firm set of protocols to regulate the replacement of asbestos meter boards and this probably involves a new category of licensing to ensure that those undertaking this work are properly trained - and equipped - to do the job safely.
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