Interventions on old fibre-cement roof structures can involve risks due to the presence of asbestos. Asbestos removal is therefore an important activity for roofers, where a number of constraints need to be observed.
Since 1996, asbestos has been banned for use in the construction industry because it is considered particularly dangerous for health. Almost all fibre-cement roofs made before 1996 still contain asbestos.
In France, an asbestos inspection is mandatory when selling a property, and depending on their condition, roofs considered dangerous must sometimes be taken up: there is therefore a real market for asbestos removal, and the appropriate skills are often essential in renovation work.
Asbestos removal on roof structures involves a specific procedure designed to ensure the roofer’s protection.
There are two possible solutions:
- the containment method, which consists in covering the roof with a solution designed to encapsulate the asbestos, with the possible laying of over-roofing panels.
- The second solution, which is more complex and more expensive, is to completely take up the roof, and then replace it.
When removing asbestos, a safety perimeter needs to be setup. Operators must wear a P3-certified protective mask, as well as safety glasses and gloves.
Fibre-cement roofs tend to become brittle with age, and can crack during interventions on the roof structure, especially on farm buildings.
Dimos, in partnership with the French Farmers’ Social Security System (MSA), has developed the Sécuriplac kit to enable you to work safely on brittle roofs: the kit consists of 3x 3m long aluminium plates designed to fit into the corrugations of fibre-cement sheets, and thus distribute the weight over the 3 plates, thereby preventing roofers from putting their foot through the roof.