It’s natural to have questions about asbestos and the removal process. Most people are well aware that asbestos can be dangerous, however there is still some education to be done in demonstrating just how hard it can be to identify asbestos and the wide variety of places it can be found.
Below we have collated some of the most frequently asked questions related to asbestos removal. If your question is not answered below, feel free to reach out for more information.
Asbestos is a naturally occuring mineral made of tiny fibres that are invisible to the human eye. When these fibres become airborne they are easily inhaled and can become trapped in the lungs. These fibres can sit dormant inside the body for many years and can cause a number of serious, life threatening diseases including aggressive forms of cancer.
Asbestos related cancer can form in the lungs, ovaries and larynx. Mesothelioma is a commonly known form of cancer caused by asbestos and has no known cure and is usually deadly.
It is safe to remove asbestos when performed by professionals such as The Asbestos Guys. We advise our potential clients to choose their asbestos removalist carefully as any cutting of corners could result in the chance of exposure to asbestos fibres.
There are industry standards that dictate how to safely remove asbestos. When we remove asbestos great care is taken and some of the important steps include:
- Defining the scope of work
- Informing people of the upcoming work
- Using licensed and highly skilled contractors
- Air monitoring
- Isolating the area and limiting access
- Using correct Respiratory Equipment and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
- Thorough decontamination procedures
- Arranging clearance inspections and obtaining clearance certificates
- Safe transportation and ethical disposal of asbestos waste
The cost can vary greatly between projects. The variables that affect the price include size and scope of the work, ease of access to the site, internal or external work and other factors.
The easiest way to find out the cost of asbestos removal is to obtain an obligation free asbestos removal quote. We can perform an on-site inspection to help determine the scope of work.
Widespread asbestos use in the Australian building industry had mostly ceased by around 1990. There is no guarantee that your house will NOT have asbestos if built after 1990 however the chance of finding asbestos does greatly decrease from this point in time onwards.
It’s possible to easily identify some roofing and fencing materials and taking the age of the property into account can allow you to make some assumptions, however, the only way to truly know is to get the material tested. Areas like bathrooms can be particularly difficult to identify asbestos with a simple eye test, as walls can be covered by tiles, fixtures and paint.
It’s worth noting that if asbestos material is in good condition and is untouched that there is not much of a health risk, so you may not need to be concerned.
If you suspect workplace contains broken or damaged asbestos material you could speak to your employer about it to make sure they’re aware. If they ignore your concerns then you could approach your local workplace health and safety authority.
Firstly, don’t touch it. Keep yourself and anyone else away from the material. Call The Asbestos Guys immediately and we can arrange to make the area safe and professionally remove and decontaminate the area.
Air monitoring is used to test the air for the presence of airborne asbestos fibres. It allows the effectiveness of control measures to be analysed and ensures the area remains safe during any removal or abatement work.
Air monitoring is not required for every asbestos removal job.