Understanding the Asbestos Removal Process

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring silicate fibres that were once heralded for their potential construction applications. Asbestos was commonly used as a weight-reducing, strength-boosting, insulating, and fire-retardant additive in a wide variety of construction products, from concrete to floor linings and even fabrics. It's not surprising that asbestos became so popular given its impressive beneficial qualities, however, there was more yet to be discovered about this miracle mineral. 

Is it really that good? What problems does Asbestos cause?

Unfortunately, while having all of these amazing qualities, it was to be discovered that Asbestos also comes with some serious health concerns. Asbestos is a mineral composed of small silicate fibres that can be easily released into the air after any action that may generate abrasion, such as cutting, grinding, or even merely moving the material. These fibres then spread everywhere and are difficult to avoid breathing in as they are undetectable to the naked eye, as small as one thousandth the width of a human hair, and can remain airborne for many hours once released. Once inhaled, the fibres become lodged in the lungs, where they can cause a variety of fatal and chronic respiratory illnesses.

The Asbestos Removal Process

For Class A asbestos removal, after a thorough planning process, the first stage in removing asbestos is to physically isolate the removal area from the surrounding area to ensure that asbestos fibres are contained and controlled. This is normally done by building an airtight enclosure out of polythene. Specialist H-Class filtered Negative Pressure Units (NPU) are utilised to ensure that the enclosure is kept at a lower pressure than the surrounding environment to provide added assurance that asbestos fibres will be contained inside of the enclosure.

An independent licensed assessor will conduct a “smoke” test to ensure that there are no weak points or leakages in the enclosure. For high risk Class A work, background air monitoring is utilised around the enclosure to provide added comfort that the enclosure and controls are performing as required. Inside of the enclosure personnel need to wear special protective clothing and respiratory protection at all times to keep them safe; access into the enclosure is controlled through a specialised decontamination unit and regulated procedure to ensure that personnel exiting the enclosure do not carry fibres out with them.

Inside the enclosure, Asbestos waste is moistened with misters or specialised injection equipment to suppress the release of asbestos fibres, before removing the asbestos materials and double-bagging them in specifically designated hazardous waste bags, or in the case of large sheets of materials, double-wrapped in 200-micron plastic and sealed. When being disposed of, this waste must be taken to an accredited and licensed disposal facility. All personnel working within the enclosure area removing asbestos materials must follow a thorough decontamination process anytime they need to exit the enclosure and emergency response plans need to be considered in the event of an emergency onsite.

After all of the asbestos-containing material has been removed, all surfaces inside of the work area must be thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated to ensure that all debris, dust and residue is removed. Once everything has been thoroughly cleaned, the third-party, independent licensed assessor will conduct a four stage clearance. This can involve a visual inspection, surface test, or disturbed air test. The aim is to ensure that surfaces are properly clean and that there are no unsafe levels of fibre in the air. The enclosure can be taken down when these tests show that the area is safe for habitation. 

Can’t afford Asbestos Removal? Management will require Inspections to be a regular habit

Regulations require that all asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) must be identified, documented (including types, location and risk presented) and inspected regularly to check for damage, wear and tear, and any signs of deterioration or degradation that may require attention.

The type of asbestos, where it’s used (thermal insulation, ceiling tile, etc.), the condition of the material and the possibility for asbestos fibres to be released into the air must all be considered when determining the appropriate strategy and methodology for managing the risks and hazards that the ACMs present. An Asbestos Management Plan is the document used to manage this process and it must be specific to the site or asset (in the case of a vehicle, marine vessel, aircraft or other specialist piece of equipment) and should also consider personnel applications and processes.

Any damaged or degraded asbestos material will require special attention. Commonly this includes:

·   Abatement, or the complete or partial removal of asbestos;

·   Asbestos surface sealing (encapsulation); or

·   Asbestos containment via airtight enclosure (enclosure).

Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) both for routine activities and also for predefined procedures to follow in the event of an emergency involving the potential disturbance of the ACMs is also good practice. Having well defined SOPs can dramatically improve the organisational response to both planned and unforeseen events resulting in less disruption, greater efficiency, better communication and reduced stakeholder issues to manage.

Most importantly, choose an Experienced Professional

Finding a qualified asbestos removal company is crucial. They must be licensed, certified, and knowledgeable of the applicable Regulations and legislation. They should be appropriately licensed, including for the specific work they propose to undertake and their past work should be an indication of their standards.

All You Need to Know About Hiring Professionals for Asbestos Removal

Your home may still contain asbestos if it was built before the year 2000. This is especially true if you've never had any work done on it, or old materials are still incorporated in the structure and fabric of the building. Also, while uncommon, there have also been recent cases of houses built or renovated using asbestos containing materials imported from regions of the world where asbestos is still used in product manufacturing. 

Therefore, in order to be certain that a building does not have asbestos containing materials, it is essential to have your property inspected - whether you suspect that it contains asbestos or not. There are legal requirements around the handling of asbestos, and professional removal of asbestos is necessary if it has been found that you have asbestos in your home. 

If you have plans to renovate your property in the near future, asbestos testing is essential for you to protect your health and comply with the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations. Read further to know about asbestos removal expertise.

You can save yourself from legal & safety liabilities if you hire Professional Asbestos Removal Experts

You've probably heard about the television adverts overseas where lawyers urge people to call them if they've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, “If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma you may to be entitled to financial compensation”.  In New Zealand, Worksafe is the primary regulator and prosecutor in Health & Safety matters, and recently fines have been increased for the most serious health and safety offences – the types of offences that kill or leave workers injured for life, such as asbestos exposure.

The law specifically states that you can’t insure against fines under health & safety legislation, and with a single non-compliant event carrying a maximum penalty of $500,000 or five years in prison, PCBU’s (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) need to understand and carry out their due diligence duties.

If you are a business that has asbestos or asbestos-containing materials in your building, plant or equipment you need to have an asbestos management plan by law. This plan sets out where any identified asbestos or asbestos-containing material is present, and how it will be managed. The workplace PCBU (business owner) must make sure a copy of the plan is readily accessible to all stakeholders.

The PCBU must review and (if necessary) revise the asbestos management plan every five years, or when asbestos controls are reviewed, asbestos is removed, disturbed, sealed or enclosed, or the plan is no longer adequate for managing the asbestos risks. For example, if new asbestos is identified, the asbestos begins to degrade, or if a previously inaccessible area is now accessible. 

A PCBU can create their own asbestos management plan by following the process outlined in the Approved Code of Practice: Management and Removal of Asbestos. That being said, you have an additional legal duty to identify any asbestos before any refurbishment or demolition work. If it is not reasonably practicable to determine if there is asbestos or asbestos containing material (ACM) installed in the structure or plant then you must assume that asbestos is present and plan accordingly.

Refurbishment is when you are carrying out work in a building or structure with the view to change or upgrade it. This is different to minor maintenance, which is about maintaining what you have. For example, minor work on a kitchen such as fixing a plumbing fixture would not be considered as refurbishment, however, if you are ripping cabinetry or flooring out for replacement then this would be considered as refurbishment. 

In the case of refurbishment or demolition, the PCBU must make sure that all asbestos likely to be disturbed by the demolition work is identified and, so far as is reasonably practicable, removed before the work starts.

The best action is to eliminate the risk completely, by having the asbestos professionally removed, after having had an asbestos survey completed by a competent, qualified professional. To regain the safety of your building,and to eliminate your liability issues, professional asbestos removal companies can come in and remove it from your building.

What to look for when hiring Asbestos Removal Experts

You should look for a company that has been validated & acknowledged in the industry for many years. Check out the company’s website to look at some of their past projects. You will always be in safer hands if the company has executed similar projects in the past with consistency and good results.

Remember that asbestos removal is a heavily-regulated process because it is a hazardous material. You can check the Worksafe website to check that they hold an active Asbestos Removal License. By law, asbestos removalists must have a certified safety management system, and the ideal company will actively simplify the process for you.

Finally, choose a business that provides all the essential tools and proper training to its employees. By doing this, you can be sure that the professionals working at your property will do so more skillfully & safely. Always remember, the most important trait you need to look for in a company, is how the company values safety in whatever they do. 

To Conclude

Trained professionals must handle asbestos identification, containment, and removal. The dangers of exposure are simply too high to undertake this on your own or pass or to risk on an inexperienced company. Asbestos removal professionals have the training, and are best-placed to identify, and safely remove asbestos from the environment and keep kiwis safe.

I Suspect My Building Has Asbestos. Can I Afford to Wait?

Asbestos is a material that gained popularity because of its resistance to heat and electricity and for its chemical stability. It was utilised extensively in manufacturing during the 20th century, especially as insulation for buildings, in cladding systems, in flooring and in industrial applications such as gaskets, fabrics and rope. 

If your property was built prior to 1990, chances are high that it might contain asbestos. Discovering that your property has asbestos or asbestos containing materials can be disconcerting and provokes anxiety for many. While eliminating the risk of exposure to asbestos through complete removal is advised, proper management of the asbestos risk onsite can dramatically reduce the risks and therefore the stresses involved.

Our Recommendation: You should not wait; just engage a group of experts to help you manage the asbestos risk at your property, and reduce your stress & the risk of developing any asbestos related illness.

Is Asbestos a health hazard for me?

Yes, as we now know, Asbestos fibres are carcinogenic and can cause lung damage and other illnesses from extended exposure. Microscopically small asbestos fibres are easily inhaled when disturbed and can travel into the smallest parts of the lungs, causing tissue damage, scarring and cancer. The effects occur long-term, and once you start to notice symptoms, it will already be years too late to prevent illness. 

The most frequent use of asbestos in homes constructed before 1990 was for thermal insulation of pipes, in cladding and roofing materials, in flooring products, waterproofing systems and as a texture coating on ceilings. In addition, it can also be found in a wide range of other applications including: 

●  Blown insulation

●  Linoleum tiles

●  Glue for fastening floor tiles to wood or concrete

●  Several linoleum types

●  Caulking and glazing for windows

●  Roof materials (sheets, pressed tiles and shingles)

●  Insulation for HVAC ducts (traditionally found in corrugated or flat paper form)

●  Coatings for walls and ceilings

●  Plaster systems

●  Fibre cement siding or Compressed sheeting

●  Heavy-duty corrugated panels

●  Certain types of paint

Once identified, it is your legal responsibility & liability to either manage the material, or get it completely removed from the property.

How do I identify Asbestos in my building?

Materials that contain asbestos cannot be seen with the naked eye. Homeowners can nonetheless check for asbestos warning indicators. These hints may allude to the mineral's inclusion in specific items.

For instance, it is more likely that asbestos-containing materials were utilised to construct an older property. It should be presumed that homes built before 1990 contain the mineral someplace. There is a lower likelihood of asbestos products in newer dwellings. The best course of action is to get asbestos testing done at your property by a licensed assessor. 

Can I remove it on my own?

If you are removing more than 10sqm of Class B material, you cannot remove asbestos on your own or by hiring any general handymen. Due to the risks associated with asbestos and the specialised equipment and knowledge needed to safely remove asbestos, any Class A material, or Class B material over 10sqm must  be removed by a licensed asbestos removalist. Despite small quantities allowed to be removed by homeowners, we recommend utilising licensed removalists for any asbestos removal.

Asbestos removal has to be done with a high sense of urgency. You and everyone else in the building could be in danger just by disturbing it and un-knowingly releasing a cloud of particles (invisible to the naked eye) into the air. If you don't know what you're doing, you could endanger a large number of individuals, including yourself. You can put everyone around you at high risk by attempting to fix the issue on your own. A complete end-to-end asbestos removal requires a lot of work, training, specialised equipment, expertise, and credibility. You need a company that takes safety into consideration, makes the whole process simple for you to understand and provides excellence in overall service delivery. 

Asbestos Removal is a complex process that requires a huge amount of safety mechanisms for all the stakeholders involved. Given the possible spread that can go out of control, you need a partner company that has a history of executing many successful projects. If you have any doubts or concerns regarding asbestos or demolition, please contact our team and we’d be happy to answer any questions that you may have.