Asbestos Inspections
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that has been used for several thousands of years. It is a mined material that is strong yet flexible and fire resistant, which has lent its use to several different criteria throughout history. It was in the twentieth century when it was discovered that it could cause ill health including cancers and asbestosis. Asbestos inspections, therefore, are quite critical the good health and safety of everyone.
Asbestos has been used in such materials as concrete and bricks, pipes and flooring, roofing materials and drywall. Since the 1970s the use of asbestos as dwindled greatly, however there are still many instances in which it can be found. Older buildings that were constructed from this point backwards are highly susceptible to its use. It’s imperative that any of these older buildings have an asbestos inspection conducted, especially if you are thinking of remodeling or demolishing. So whether you are a homeowner of a business, make sure you choose the correct person to perform your asbestos inspection.
It is when a person inhales the asbestos fibers that it becomes vehemently nasty for your health and it is quite difficult to find asbestos if you don’t know what you’re looking for. That is why you should make sure to only hire accredited and EPA-trained individuals to do the inspection for you. There are very specific ways of which to handle asbestos and your inspector needs to be aware of these rules and regulations.
To be thorough with the asbestos inspection, the contractor should be checking all kinds of items in your building. These would include the attic, steam pipes and ducts, floor tiles, cement sheets and millboards, drywall, door gaskets and wood stoves. Asbestos could also be found in textures paint or patching compounds or artificial ashes in gas-fired fireplaces. If you think you may have asbestos in your home, you can take a quick gander at some of these products. Don’t touch any of the asbestos and make sure you are wearing masks when handling. It’s best to mist it down with water so that the fibers don’t become airborne. Make sure your inspector wears proper gear as well.
The more qualified professionals will know not to hit, rub or manhandle asbestos on their inspection and come fully prepared. Their gear will consist of heavy duty gloves, masks and mister bottles. He or she will take away samples from different known areas for asbestos and have them tested. You will be asked to shut down your central air or heating while the inspection is being performed to alleviate the spread of the material throughout the home. Plastic sheets should be laid out wherever samples are to be taken.
If your asbestos inspection actually finds the substance in your building, your inspector should be able to tell you the best way to remove it. Small areas can be patched over by the proper contractor while removal is the more expensive way of ridding your home of the asbestos. Only use an EPA-trained contractor to remove asbestos.
Asbestos inspections should be performed on most operations and managements programs. Visual inspections, job sites visits, surveillance of all surfaces and areas need to be performed on a regular basis. A clean site is a clean site when every ounce of asbestos has been removed. It is imperative to the health of all to make it a standard rule of thumb in construction and other fields to have constant asbestos inspections performed.
Asbestos In The Home:
BSP construction Consultants offer customised building inspections and commercial building inspections that report on what you want to know. All reports are done in accordance with the current Australian Building Codes and Standards, and are carried out by a Registered Builder or Structural Engineer. They also provide specialised Asbestos Inspection services.
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