Intro:
Asbestos is a known dangerous building material, but that fact wasn’t always known. Between the 1940’s and the 1980’s, it was considered one of the most versatile building materials, both for its ability to be manipulated to be used in most aspects of building, and for its fire-retardant properties. Asbestos is a naturally occurring material made up of fibrous silicate materials, highly durable and great at insulating. The big problem came later in its usage life, when it was discovered that if asbestos is damaged or broken, it releases its small fibers into the air. These fibers when inhaled cause major damage.
Once the health concerns were realized, it was banned in most countries as a building material, but because it was used in so many buildings built before the 1980’s, it’s still considered a major risk, and at least 100,000 people a year worldwide die from diseases related to asbestos exposure. This also means that if renovations on an older building are being considered, asbestos risk assessments must be taken, and a professional asbestos removal company should be called in to remove any asbestos containing materials (ACMs) safely and dispose of them in an environmentally safe fashion.
Wet Removal
Wet removal is one of the more preferred methods of asbestos removal as it has the lowest risk of fibers being released, and usable in most situations. During the wet removal process, asbestos fibers are suppressed by having water poured over the ACM at a minimal pressure, thus the fibers do not get released into the air. Removers may consider using a detergent within the water used for suppression, as it’ll add an extra absorbent property to keep fibers locked away. During the entire removal process the ACM needs to remain wet, until safely away in an asbestos disposal bag.
Dry Removal
The dry removal method is just removing the ACM by hand, without the use of water, most often used where there are live wires, or risk of damage from water. Most often it’s preferred to only use this method in enclosed areas, where negative pressure zones can be set up. Extra care must be taken to ensure that the ACMs are not broken, with drop cloths being used to catch any fibers that may fall off the ACMs.
Water Injection and Saturation
Using water injection and saturation, the ACM is completely soaked in water, often used with extremely thick ACMs. During this asbestos removal method, the water is injected through precise injection heads with inlets and outlets of water, and any injectors used will be disposed of afterwards just as asbestos waste is.
Precautions and Safety Requirements for Asbestos Removal
Due to the major health risks that asbestos poses to any person or animal when ACMs get disturbed, and fibers are released into the air, special precautions and safety measures must be taken during asbestos removal.
Any asbestos removal should be completed by a trained and licensed professional, especially for large scale removal of non-friable and friable asbestos. As well, all precautions must be taken with the removal of ACMs when it comes to respiration. Proper full body PPE and respirators should be used in order to remove the risk of inhalation of asbestos fibers.
It isn’t generally recommended that a homeowner or business owner remove their own asbestos, as they may lack the proper training or equipment to do it safely. However, if DIY is the method being used, then there are safety precautions that need to be observed, especially when it comes to lawful regulations.
Warning signs must be in place when asbestos removal is being performed, so that any other occupants or visitors of the building know the risks and can avoid affected areas. Any area that ACMs are being disturbed for removal should be cordoned off, so that human traffic isn’t getting into safety issues.
Any PPE or respirators used during asbestos removal should be inspected thoroughly before being used, and once the removal is complete, they should be disposed of as asbestos contaminated materials.
Asbestos removal is an important process that requires care to ensure everybody involved in the removal remains safe, and the work area is not contaminated by the removal process. Using a professional asbestos abatement company is always recommended rather than DIY to make sure that ACMs are removed completely, safely, and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
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