It is often said that ignorance of the law is not an excuse, and this would certainly apply to anyone dealing with asbestos in their homes or buildings. In the 20th century it was commonplace to use asbestos and it was even considered a wonder mineral due to its fire-retardant properties. These days its very presence is a problem, and removing it can be costly and labour intensive. If you think there might be asbestos on your property, particularly if you are a landlord and are liable for the safety of your tenants, the first step is to get an asbestos survey carried out.
Choosing a company to conduct the asbestos survey in Leeds
Once the survey is completed, the next stage of asbestos removal will begin if any of the mineral is found to be posing a danger. There is quite a lot of paperwork and administration that is required before this process can start so it’s a good idea if you live in Leeds to find local companies that conduct asbestos surveys, as they will be familiar with the various authorities that need to be notified. In fact, before any removal work can commence, authorities have to be given 14 days’ notice and it’s likely that the neighbouring buildings will be informed as to what is to happen.
Clearly, any company conducting a survey will need to have highly trained employees and should be licenced to handle asbestos. There are different types of surveys that you could request. If you are interested in finding out if there is asbestos in your home, you could ask for a survey that documents the location and condition of any asbestos and its likelihood in causing harm to any of the residents of the building. You can click here to get more details.
Demolishing a building will always require an inspection
If, however, you are considering demolition or refurbishment work, the survey will be far more intrusive and areas of your building will be broken down in order for a full inspection to take place. Sometimes more than one survey is required. For example, if you are planning to demolish a building, you will need to have the complete, intrusive inspection that pays careful attention to every hidden corner in the roof or under the building. It might well then also be necessary for the next-door building to be inspected, but only for a management survey. What is clear is that this is a substance that requires expert attention and is taken extremely seriously by authorities. As a result, every owner of a building or tenant should be giving the matter the same consideration.
If you are thinking of refurbishing or demolishing a building, you will need to conduct an asbestos survey in Leeds. ACS Health, Safety & Environment has an office in Leeds and can be contacted for expert advice.