For many decades, building contractors installed products that contained asbestos in good faith. At one stage, virtually every commercial or residential property across the country was thought to have some amount of asbestos within, and it was often hidden within a variety of different products. It wasn't until fairly recently that asbestos was discovered to be carcinogenic, as even a small period of exposure could lead to cases of cancer. Unfortunately, this legacy presents a problem to anyone who is engaged in building renovation, as this could disturb tiny particles of asbestos. What is the correct procedure to adopt before any significant work of this kind begins?
The Scale of the Problem
It's likely that there are several thousand products "lurking" in offices, homes and factories around Australia, containing at least an element of asbestos. Certainly, this product was extensively used in floor tiles, cement products and internal walls and it can be really difficult to track them all down.
Assessing Your Situation
The good news is that there are licensed professionals nearby who know what they're looking for. They will be able to come out to your building project to advise and potentially take action to help.
It's not always necessary to remove asbestos containing materials if the area is in good condition and can be isolated. However, if there is any deterioration, then this is a significant health hazard and action must be taken right away.
Getting Down to Work
The professional will be able to remove the asbestos under carefully monitored conditions. It must be segregated from any other waste carefully at source, before being double-bagged and placed into an approved and secured container. Anyone involved in the removal process needs to wear the correct protective clothing, so that their risk is minimised.
Disposal Process
When the job is complete the sealed container must be transported to a designated asbestos transfer station, which is set up to deal with hazardous waste. Here, the supervisor will carefully log in the shipment and take it off the contractor's hands. Usually, this will then be added to a separate sealed container, ready for onward transportation to its final destination.
Only Deal with Experts
Always make sure that you talk with licensed and experienced asbestos removal experts. If you do, they will clear your house for renovation and dispose of the risk in accordance with regulations.
Contact local asbestos removal professionals to learn more.