It is likely that every business and homeowner knows how serious asbestos is now being viewed as a health hazard. It is still a relatively new phenomenon as the mineral was only declared illegal in 1999, but there has been much publicity around the issue and laws have been passed regarding the handling of the substance. There was legislation in 2012 that required landlords to ensure that the building they rented out was safe for the tenants and this has done a lot towards educating the public about the dangers of asbestos. However, if you are a homeowner you may not know what steps to take to become legally compliant. You might also wonder what regulations are in place and who can help you to have peace of mind.
Knowing who to choose to remove asbestos from your home or building
If you live in Wakefield you will have a number of companies that you could consult with for asbestos removal. The first thing you need to ensure is that the relevant qualifications and licencing from ARCA (the Asbestos Removal Contractor Association) are in place. Then you would probably ask questions about the size of the projects the company had handled. Is it just households that they’d worked on, or do they have experience of working on large project sites such as hospitals, schools, factories and office blocks?
Training for asbestos removal in Wakefield
Remarkably, there are over 400 asbestos training courses available which gives an indication of how serious and widespread the problem is. In reality, if a structure was built before 1999 there is a strong chance that asbestos was used somewhere in the building. The specialist teams will be properly outfitted on site and will know exactly how to secure the building so that it is airtight and no fibres can escape into the atmosphere. They themselves may need to go through a decontamination process at the end of the day depending on the severity of the state of the asbestos and the amount present. Click here for more information.
Removing the asbestos requires some knowledge of construction as the team will be dismantling roof sheeting, asbestos cladding and insulation, as well as some pipes and storage tanks. Each of these items has to be disposed of in a way that is satisfactory to Health Services and to the local municipal structures. Normally, double-bagging is required and the substance is disposed of in a controlled and monitored site.
If you have asbestos in your home or building you need to have it safely removed. ACS Health, Safety & Environment has expertly trained staff to assist you with your asbestos removal in Wakefield.