Hi Dawnie75

I have also experienced a similar scenario to yours and really got myself worried over my asbestos exposure. This lead me to reading nearly every single article concerning Asbestos exposure, talking to Asbestos experts on the phone, and booking a GP appointment to discuss my worries.

Firstly, please try not to worry about this exposure. Asbestos can seem extremely frightening when we first find out about it, and the horror stories on the internet certainly don't help. The general consensus is that such small and brief exposure presents a negligible health risk. The reason for this is because we are exposed to very small amounts of Asbestos fibers in the air anyways due to environmental and constructional changes. Asbestos-related diseases occur in those who have worked in high-risk jobs, for over several years. Most people now undertake DIY work and so it is extremely common to come into contact with small amounts of Asbestos during your work yet there are no reported cases of these people becoming ill from this small exposure. Therefore, your risk is minimal, and you will certainly not need to move out of your home.

That being said, it is best that you have stopped your work and have decided to get it looked at by a professional. They will be able to properly advise you about how to handle the situation going forwards. I completely understand how you feel, I was exposed to broken Artex for a number of months and became so paranoid that I consulted my GP as well as an online doctor and asbestos experts, all of whom assured me that even my two months of exposure is still a negligible risk and it is those who worked within high-risk industries that are most at risk.

I really hope this helps, please do not hesitate to message me back if you have any more worries :) and best of luck going forwards 

Thanks, R

At times I wish this forum had an Up Vote button.  This post would definitely get an Up Vote from me.

Thank you so much :) 

I know how easy it can be to spiral and start thinking the worst after such a brief exposure. It's even worse when children are involved and parents automatically start worrying! Of course, nobody should directly seek any sort of Asbestos exposure, but I wish there was more awareness about small exposures and how to avoid them in the first place!

I absolutely agree. Everyone is complete paranoid about asbestos.  As you say, no one should go looking for exposure, but small accidental exposures are inevitable given the state of our older housing stock.