Removing asbestos is a job that should always be left to the professionals, due to the serious health risks associated with asbestos exposure. Before you hire an asbestos removal service to get rid of asbestos from your home or workplace, it is important to ask a few questions to find out what to expect. Here are three questions you must not forget to ask.
1. Can You See Their Licence?
Companies must hold a licence for asbestos removal. This licence proves that the contractor has been through a training program to ensure they know how to handle asbestos safely. To meet the conditions of the licence, the company must also dispose of asbestos responsibly and use appropriate equipment to protect their workers.
Never be afraid to ask to see a company's asbestos removal licence before you agree to work with them. If they cannot produce an up-to-date licence, do not hire this contractor to remove asbestos from your home or commercial building.
2. Do You Need to Vacate During Removal?
If asbestos is present in only part of your home or office building, it might be possible for you to continue living or working as normal in other rooms while asbestos removal is carried out. Companies can use protective shields to prevent asbestos fibres from spreading into occupied parts of a building during removal.
However, when the area that contains asbestos is very large, or in cases where shielding is not possible due to the layout of the building, it is necessary to move everyone out of the building during the removal process. In cases where it is necessary, this safety precaution is essential to keep you and your family or staff safe from the harmful effects of asbestos exposure, which can include the development of aggressive cancers many years after breathing in the fibres.
3. Are There Alternatives to Asbestos Removal?
Asbestos in its stable state is not dangerous. However, when it starts to degrade or is disturbed during construction work, it releases fibres that cause serious damage to the lungs. Asbestos removal is one way to be sure that no one who lives or works in your building is harmed by these fibres, but it is not always the only option. Some companies offer asbestos encapsulation, which involves covering the asbestos in a protective coating to prevent fibres from escaping from it and causing health problems. Ask your contractor whether asbestos encapsulation could be a suitable solution for you.
To learn more, reach out to a local asbestos removal service.
