Asbestos Removal and Safety – Questions you should ask before renovating your home
Is Asbestos as bad as they say?
In a word, yes. Asbestos is not a fibre to take lightly. Just ask a former mine worker with asbestosis or a bombproof fitter and turner who now has stage 4 lung cancer and they will tell you – it’s easy to overlook the dangers when you are young and healthy, but it’s the damage that turns up many years later that kills you. Literally.
How do I know if my home has asbestos?
It’s quite safe to say that if your home was built prior to 1988, it will contain any number of asbestos containing products.
Should I be concerned for my family’s health?
Asbestos will only cause harm if it becomes airborne. While it is painted or covered over and undisturbed, it is perfectly stable and safe. It’s once you are looking at renovating your home that you should ask questions about materials that will be removed and potential health risks in doing so.
What types of asbestos are there?
In the construction industry, asbestos is identified by two major forms – friable and non-friable.
Friable asbestos is loose and crumbly and will easily become airborne.
Non-friable asbestos has been reinforced with a bonding agent and made into a solid material.
What is required to remove asbestos?
SafeWork Australia and the EPA regulate the safe removal of asbestos. When you decide you want to renovate, your first question should be – will I need to remove asbestos? A portion of your wall sheeting, roofing, guttering, flooring etc can be sent off for testing OR, your local builder may do this for you.
Asbestos Removal and Safety
To remove asbestos correctly, a licenced Asbestos Removal expert will cover all the requirements for SafeWork Australia lodgement of authority to remove asbestos, Air Purity Monitoring, all associated paperwork, EPA correct disposal and tip fees, not to mention the correct procedures for set up and Personal Protective Equipment required onsite.
Who can remove asbestos?
In Australia, a Class B licence is required to remove above 10m2 of non-friable asbestos, and a specialised Class A licence allows an expert to deal with friable asbestos.
Randall Group Inverell hold a Class B Asbestos Removal licence and can arrange the appropriate expert to have friable asbestos removed for you.
More questions? Get in touch with our office today.
