Asbestos Removal Precautions: The Ultimate Guide
Posted on: 16 September 2022
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Are you planning to demolish or renovate your building? Whether it's your home, commercial building, or any other building or structure, it's always critical to be cautious, especially if it's an old building. It's not uncommon to find asbestos-containing materials on some sections of relatively old buildings like the caulking, roof shingles, siding, sheetrock, ceiling tiles, cement sheeting, plasters, etc.
Generally, asbestos can be harmful if disturbed during renovation or demolition projects. The asbestos fibres may become airborne, causing respiratory issues if inhaled. Therefore, if your building has been found to have asbestos-containing materials, it will be critical to plan for removal.
Here are some precautionary measures you must take in your asbestos removal project.
Leave It To The Professionals
Handling asbestos-containing materials requires the utmost care to avoid causing a disturbance and potentially releasing the asbestos fibres into the environment. For this reason, it's always best to leave the task to the professionals. Therefore, contact an asbestos removal or abatement company once your building has been inspected and found to contain asbestos materials. Asbestos removal companies will have personnel with the right expertise to handle the asbestos-containing materials, including proper removal and disposal techniques.
Follow All The Regulations/Guidelines If You Plan For DIY Asbestos Removal
Leaving the task to licensed asbestos removalists is usually the best action course in handling asbestos-containing materials. However, DIY removal may also be an option, especially if you have a tight budget and would like to save some money on the project. However, you must be cautious before considering DIY asbestos removal for various reasons. First, DIY asbestos removal is illegal in some areas. Therefore, find out whether your state or territory permits DIY asbestos removal before proceeding with the project.
If DIY asbestos removal isn't illegal in your area, strict asbestos handling and management regulations will likely exist. For instance, you may only be permitted to work on a defined area of asbestos-containing material. Therefore, if the asbestos-containing material in your property exceeds the maximum area permitted for DIY work, you will need to hire a licensed asbestos removalist.
The asbestos-containing material you intend to work on will also need to be non-friable. This means the material shouldn't crumble or pulverise under hand pressure. Moreover, you will need protective gear including but not limited to gloves, a hat, safety glasses, and coveralls. And as you work on the asbestos-containing materials, you must keep them wet to reduce the risks of asbestos fibres becoming airborne. In addition, you will be required to use non-powered hand tools like hand saws and hand-powered drills to reduce the amount of dust produced when handling asbestos-containing materials.