A guide to safe asbestos removal
Asbestos poses a serious health risk that still affects people today. As a result, asbestos abatement professionals must exclusively handle, remove, and dispose of asbestos according to regulations.
Unsafe asbestos removal can result in asbestos exposure that may not affect your health immediately but could lead to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Since there’s currently no cure for any asbestos-related health problems, strict regulations for asbestos removal have been established to keep workers and the public safe.
Approaching asbestos removal
If you find asbestos in your home or business, it’s vital that you don’t handle or try to dispose of it yourself. If these asbestos products are friable, you should carefully moisten them to prevent the release of fibres until a licensed professional can assess your building.
These professionals will plan the appropriate way to safely remove the asbestos, ensuring the work area is sealed off with plastic sheeting and fitted with negative air pressure units. These units are vital to prevent contamination outside of the abatement area.
In addition, all workers will wear approved personal safety protection clothing and respirators to prevent asbestos exposures. Additional safety protocols include disabling HVAC systems and wiping down objects that can’t be moved to control dust.
Finally, all asbestos waste is wetted and double bagged in 6-millimetre plastic bags enclosed in a plastic container. Then, it should only be disposed of in designated landfills. Workers then remove their clothing, shoes, and tools within a decontamination unit to ensure their safety and prevent them from tracking asbestos particles into their homes.
Recycling asbestos
Occasionally, asbestos may be recycled through high heat. This process eventually converts the asbestos fibres into an inert silicate glass that is non-hazardous. Thus, recycling asbestos helps to manage the cost of asbestos removal and promote its safe disposal.
Identifying asbestos-containing items
Unfortunately, there’s no way to identify asbestos-containing products visually. Therefore, it's crucial to learn which products are likely to contain asbestos and have them tested.
Common asbestos-containing products in buildings include:
Contact ENSA for details
ENSA offers specialised and safe asbestos removal services. If you want more information about asbestos removal, get in contact with a representative from ENSA Environmental today.