HAS at the Black and White House, Hereford

HAS were recently at one of Herefordshire’s most famous buildings- the Black and White House!

The 17^th Century half-timbered building is one of the most iconic landmarks in Hereford town centre. It dates to 1621 when it was originally built as part of a row of houses named ‘Butchers Row’. When these were eventually demolished almost two hundred years later, the Black and White House remained. It has had a variety of uses throughout its life, including as a butcher’s shop and a high street bank before it was eventually opened as a Museum in 1929. It remains one of the best- preserved examples of Jacobean structure in the country. The building recently underwent a major refurbishment by Herefordshire Council to create a gift shop within the building and an enhanced visitor experience. 

HAS were onsite to ensure the safe removal of an area of asbestos insulation board (AIB) which was being used to box in an electrical fuse box. An air tight enclosure was built in the cellar underneath the building which was smoke tested prior to use to ensure integrity. This allowed HAS to remove the AIB safely and clean the area thoroughly prior to passing independent air testing by a qualified analyst. A decontamination unit was placed outside the building. The building was closed to the public whilst the work took place.

Asbestos is very commonly found in fuse-boxes and boxing in electrical components due to its fire resistant and thermal properties. Often these areas have been painted over, making the material more difficult to identify.  Any building built prior to 1999 when the use of asbestos was banned in the UK, may contain asbestos.