15/06/2026
⚠️ ASBESTOS TESTING: A NEGATIVE RESULT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN NO ASBESTOS ⚠️
Did you know that how a sample is taken is just as important as the laboratory result?
✅ A BULK SAMPLE is taken from the actual material (through its thickness) and tested by a laboratory. This is the only reliable way to determine if asbestos is present in sheeting.
❌ Surface samples, wipes or dust samples only test material on the surface. They can return a negative result even when the sheet itself still contains asbestos.
Asbestos fibres are often mixed throughout the cement sheet—not always exposed on the surface.
Important:
A negative surface test does NOT mean the material is asbestos-free.
If asbestos sheeting is cut, drilled, broken or sanded, fibres may still be released.
✔️ Always use bulk sampling for asbestos identification.
✔️ Use a NATA-accredited laboratory.
✔️ If in doubt, treat the material as asbestos until proven otherwise.
