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Important Factors When Removing Asbestos in Commercial Buildings
Dana Hoffman
If you own or have the authority to make structural changes to a commercial building, you need to keep on top of your obligations regarding asbestos. Here's an overview of some important factors.
Building Inspections
If one has not been carried out before, you should arrange for an inspection (survey or audit) of the building to pinpoint the location of asbestos. You will need a qualified and competent person to undertake the audit. You could hire an occupational hygienist that deals with asbestos or a company with NATA accreditation (National Association of Testing Authorities).
The audit will identify any asbestos and assess the risk it poses to people in the building. The inspector may recommend removing the asbestos or sealing or enclosing it in some way. The aim is to make the workplace safe and ensure that no or negligible asbestos fibres exist in the air for workers to inhale. The airborne particles pose a health risk.
Asbestos Removal
The inspection will identify the location and type of asbestos within the building, which affects what removalist you can hire. Asbestos removalists with a class A licence can handle friable and non-friable forms, whereas a contractor with a class B licence can only deal with non-friable forms.
Friable asbestos describes a product that a person can disturb and crush by hand, thus loosening asbestos fibres. Being unstable, these sources require extreme care; they also typically have a high asbestos content.
On the other hand, non-friable asbestos is bonded to another substance, such as the glue behind tiles, making it less likely to contaminate the air. These products typically contain a lower percentage of asbestos than friable products as well, which decreases their danger.
An Asbestos Register
After you have arranged for the removal of the asbestos, someone needs to update the asbestos register. This document records what asbestos remains within the building and shows what has been removed. The register should stay with the building, so whoever is in charge can have access.
You may not need to remove every piece of asbestos in the building, as an inspector may judge it to pose little threat if it's in non-friable form. But the register will indicate what asbestos may be due for removal in the future.
The listing will note the material with asbestos, such as wall cladding, for instance. The register will also comment on whether the material is likely to decay, which will make it more unstable and dangerous. It will include what activities will disturb the asbestos, so the risk can be minimised and managed. Everyone who works on the building will need these details.
For more information about asbestos removal, contact a local company.
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