Asbestos is a natural mineral composed of fibres. These fibres are particularly resistant to fire, acid, fungal and micro-organism attack, resulting in their widespread use in many applications till the beginning of the nineteen-nineties. In the past, the fibres were spun and mixed with other substances, such as cement or resins, to create composite materials. These technical features and low cost led to asbestos being used in many fields. The same morphological and technical properties of the fibres are the root cause of the toxicity of the asbestos. Typical pathologies are associated with the lungs (such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and cancers) and can have long incubation periods.

In Switzerland, the marketing and use of asbestos was banned in 1990 by the Ordinance on Hazardous Materials in the Environment (StoV), today no longer in force, now superseded by the current Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance (ORRChem).

In addition, as stated by SUVA, “if the presence of asbestos is suspected, and this poses a hazard when processing or using a property, the suspect material should be analysed. Construction work is subject to the obligation of assessment before work is permitted to commence“. This obligation derives from Art. 3 “Planning of Construction Work” of the Construction Order Ordinance (OLCostr): “If there is a suspicion that there are particularly toxic substances such as asbestos or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the building contractor must carefully assess the dangers and related risks involved. Based on these analyses, the necessary measures must be planned. If hazardous substances should arise during construction work, this work must be discontinued and the client advised”.

For more information see www.suva.ch/asbest.