Asbestos Risks In Switchboards

My switchboard has a black mounting board for the fuses. A neighbour has told me it could be made of asbestos. What do you reckon?

If your switchboard was installed before 2003 there is every chance it has asbestos somewhere in it.

How come you can be so sure?

Because it was cheap to produce and had natural resistance to heat and electrical current, asbestos was a popular building product. However, it also caused fatal respiratory diseases and was banned in 2003. Up until the mid-1980s Australia had one of the world’s highest rates of asbestos use. So even now, around 30 percent of homes contain some form of asbestos.

But I’ve heard that if it’s not disturbed then asbestos is OK?

If it is sealed with paint or resin and can’t be disturbed, asbestos is reasonably safe. It’s when it cracks or gets drilled, such as when work is done on a switchboard, there is a huge risk of airborne particles being released. Don’t forget that it wasn’t just the backing panel that contained asbestos. It was also often used in porcelain fuse holders and early forms of circuit breakers.

So what should I do?

Don’t take chances. If you think your switchboard has asbestos components, get it checked by one of our qualified electricians. If it is so old that it contains asbestos products, then it needs upgrading anyway to the latest Australian safety standards.