What is asbestos rope and yarn (and what were they used for)?

It is easy, today, for great numbers of building owners and managers to overlook or forget just how widespread the use of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) once was in the UK. A ban was finally imposed on the importation and use of all forms of asbestos in this country in late 1999. Prior to then, however, asbestos products had been used in such industries as construction and shipbuilding since the fibrous mineral was first mined in the mid-19th century.

Highly regarded on the basis of such qualities as its relative affordability, physical strength, fire resistance, and effectiveness as an insulator, the naturally occurring substance went on to be incorporated into thousands of products.

These ACMs encompassed the likes of asbestos insulating board (AIB), asbestos cement roof tiles, and asbestos vinyl floor tiles… but also, textile products such as ropes, yarns, and strings.

But what exactly is asbestos rope and yarn, what were these products used for, and what will you need to know when it comes to identifying and managing these potentially very dangerous items? Below, we have outlined the essentials.

What is asbestos rope and yarn?

Asbestos rope is a form of heat-resistant cord, made from asbestos fibres. It is part of a family of asbestos textiles products also including the likes of yarns, strings, gaskets, and cloths. These products varied in the exact proportion of asbestos they consisted of – anywhere from around 40% right up to 100% was possible, depending on the intended function of the given item.

The blending of asbestos fibres with other materials to create textiles was aimed at making the resultant products more heat-resistant and durable, to cite just some of the properties commonly associated with asbestos.

Asbestos rope specifically, however, differs from most other ACMs in that it is essentially pure asbestos, instead of being mixed in with other non-asbestos materials such as cement. The fact that asbestos was fibrous, and easy to mould and work with, allowed it to be relatively easily transformed into rope.

There were three broad types of asbestos rope: twisted asbestos rope, square asbestos rope, and asbestos lagging rope. For much of the period in which asbestos rope and other ACMs were being produced in especially great volumes, the potentially severe health risks associated with inhalation of the substance were not yet widely known among the public.

What does asbestos rope and yarn look like?

To begin to get a sense of what asbestos rope in your property might look like, it is helpful to know how the aforementioned three types of this product were made:

• Twisted asbestos rope was produced by twisting together multiple strands of fibres, thereby creating a dense and sturdy rope.
• Square asbestos rope comprised long asbestos fibre yarn; a handful of fibres would be woven together to create a square shape.
• Asbestos lagging rope consisted of two layers – an inner layer filled with ceramic, and an outer layer braided with dusted asbestos.

Chrysotile (white) asbestos was the type of asbestos typically used to create asbestos rope. As we mentioned above, asbestos rope was essentially pure asbestos, which makes it relatively visually distinctive compared to non-asbestos rope. Depending on the specific type of asbestos rope, you can expect the weaving to be twisted in a diamond pattern, or square.

Furthermore, asbestos rope is almost pure white in colour. However, we would exercise a slight note of caution here: the whiteness of asbestos rope typically becomes discoloured with age, and older asbestos rope that has been used for boiler seals or as insulation could have a yellowish tinge, in addition to being frayed. These are particularly important points to bear in mind given that even the newest asbestos ropes in the UK are now several decades old.

Our online gallery of asbestos ropes, yarns, and strings should further assist your efforts to determine what these products will probably look like if they exist on your site.

What were asbestos rope and yarn used for?

Historically, asbestos ropes and yarns were used for a broad range of applications across various industries. These products were commonly used as:

• Insulation around boilers, pipes, and other high-temperature equipment, as well as in certain electrical applications
• Sealants in boiler and engine applications to prevent leaks
• Fireproofing materials in buildings and structures
• Packing materials around windows and in valves and pumps, to guard against leakage
• Seals and gaskets in gas and electric heating appliances.

How can you identify asbestos rope and yarn?

We earlier referenced some of the distinguishing visual characteristics that could help you determine whether a particular rope is likely to be asbestos rope, simply by looking at it. However, it is critical to emphasise that visual inspection alone is not sufficient to definitively confirm whether a particular product or material is, or is not, asbestos.

For this reason, if you notice a rope in your residential, commercial, or industrial property that you suspect to be asbestos rope, it can be a good idea to seek out any asbestos report that might have already been produced as a result of a previous asbestos survey at the site.

Otherwise, you might need to arrange yourself for a professional survey to be undertaken at your building. As part of an asbestos survey of your property, you can expect the visiting surveyor to identify potential ACMs – such as asbestos ropes and yarns – and to then collect samples of these suspected asbestos materials. These samples will then undergo laboratory analysis.

As well as surveys, here at Oracle Solutions, we offer an asbestos sample testing and analysis service. This service might be of interest if you can confidently take a sample of the ACM yourself, due to the material having already broken off. However, you shouldn’t risk any spreading of asbestos dust or contact with asbestos fibres, which is why it may be best to arrange for a member of our team to take the sample for you.

Where can asbestos rope and yarn commonly be found?

In theory, you could come across asbestos ropes, yarns, and/or similar woven products containing asbestos fibres, in any room throughout a building. However, whether your property is a home, a commercial building, or an industrial setting, you should keep a particularly vigilant watch for asbestos ropes and yarns around boilers, pipes, and high-temperature equipment.

Of course, it is important to apply some common sense here. If, for instance, your property was built prior to the year 2000 – when it was still legal to use asbestos in the UK construction sector – but you know the current heating and plumbing systems were only put in place after the year 2000, this would greatly decrease the probability of any asbestos rope being present.

As we have written about previously, any asbestos ropes and strings that do still exist in UK properties today, tend to be focused on areas such as windows, heating doors, and pipe flanges, where it might be expected that gasket-type materials would be used.

Although a final ban on all types of asbestos was not implemented in the UK until 1999, the peak period of asbestos use was from around the 1950s until the 1970s. Use of the mineral for manufacturing and construction purposes began to tail off from the 1980s as awareness of the health risks spread and legal restrictions on the substance began to be imposed.

How dangerous are asbestos rope and yarn?

Today, asbestos is a notorious carcinogen; inhalation of its fibres is linked to a much-increased risk of developing a possibly fatal asbestos-related disease, such as mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, in later life. Roughly 5,000 deaths a year in the UK can be attributed to health conditions arising from past exposure to the mineral.

The good news is that even if you spot material in your property that you suspect or know to be asbestos rope or yarn, as long as it is not in bad condition, you should not be immediately concerned, and it will likely pose negligible risk to health.

ACMs are not believed to be dangerous if they are in good condition and undisturbed. If, on the other hand, ACMs are damaged or disturbed – for example, as a result of construction, renovation, or demolition work at a property – there could be a serious risk of loose asbestos fibres being released. These fibres may then be breathed in by someone nearby, and become lodged in the exposed individual’s lungs.

Asbestos rope is not “friable” – in other words, it is not easily pulverised or reduced to powder simply due to someone exerting hand pressure on it. However, in the event that you discover suspected asbestos rope in your property, and this product shows signs of major wear and tear, we would strongly urge you to avoid touching it. Instead, contact asbestos professionals who can advise you on the safe and responsible steps to take.

Do you need a licence to remove asbestos rope and yarn?

If a particular task involving asbestos presents a higher risk, this work will probably need to be carried out by a contractor holding a licence from the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). However, the ultimate decision on whether particular work is licensable will depend on the specific risk.

To be exempt from requiring a licence, asbestos work must be sporadic and of low intensity. We have previously written in detail about how the asbestos licensing system works, and the HSE provides in-depth guidance on both licensable and non-licensable work with asbestos.

The HSE has stated that maintenance and low-risk work on asbestos textiles and gaskets – such as the removal of gaskets so that they remain virtually intact without substantial breakage – can be undertaken by non-licensed workers. However, the regulator has said that such workers should still have received training on how to recognise and work safely with asbestos.

In the case of an asbestos gasket or seal being substantially broken up or damaged during removal, the work will be notifiable non-licensed work. The removal of asbestos rope seals, as well as the removal of compressed asbestos fibre (CAF) gaskets, have both been cited by the government agency as examples of lower-risk, non-licensed activities.

What should you do if you suspect asbestos rope and yarn?

If you discover materials in your property that resemble asbestos rope or yarn, or that you otherwise suspect to contain asbestos, it is crucial to ensure it is not disturbed. A key element of this will be immediately ceasing any activities taking place nearby – such as work – that could cause such disturbance or damage to the materials.

By sealing off the given area and putting up a warning sign reading “possible asbestos contamination”, you can help ensure no one else enters the space until testing has been carried out on the material.

As we referenced above, services including asbestos surveying and/or sampling analysis can enable you to determine whether the given product is, indeed, asbestos. If the product does turn out to be asbestos rope or yarn, you can then take informed actions to manage the material in a safe and legally compliant way.

Our previous guide sets out further information and advice on how you should react to suspected ACMs in your property.

Conclusion:  an informed and vigilant approach to dealing with asbestos rope is essential

Given its non-friability, asbestos rope might not always be regarded as posing the same level of danger as other common ACMs. However, this product can pose severe risks to health if loose asbestos fibres are released from it. So, knowing how to spot suspected asbestos rope or yarn, and what steps to take to identify and manage it, will be crucial for the owners and managers of buildings dating to before the year 2000.

To find out more about our accredited and licensed asbestos services at Oracle Solutions, and to take advantage of our expertise in compliant asbestos management and removal, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.