Top 10 Best Practices When Dealing with Removal of Asbestos at Home

Construction & Contractors Blog

Asbestos can be a scary word for homeowners. Sometimes it is necessary to remove old installations, however. What do you need to consider before you start? 

1. Remember that you need to isolate any area where work is about to take place, by ensuring that internal doors are sealed shut.
2. You need to get some hard wearing plastic sheeting from your local supply store and cover the floor with this. In this way, you will catch any debris, cuttings and dust that may arise.
3. Don't be tempted to use any abrasive cutting discs or power tools on asbestos cement to try and shortcut the process. Similarly, do not use any compressed air. Any of these processes will create a large amount of airborne dust and debris, which will be difficult to contain.
4. Try and avoid any contact with the surface in question until you are ready to carefully remove the asbestos. In other words, do not allow for "casual" abrasion of the surface, as this will release dust and fibres.
5. It is important to make sure that the material is as damp as possible before work commences. Don't be tempted to use high-pressure jets, but lightly spray the surface with a simple garden hose and low-pressure water.
6. You must not use power tools in the process. Non-power tools will generate a smaller dust residue and also produce waste items that are generally larger than those created by power tools, thus making them easier to retrieve and dispose of.
7. Make sure that asbestos containing sheets are carefully handled, once they are free from the original location. If you are working high above the ground, then make sure somebody else can receive the sheets and carefully stack them on layers of polyethene sheeting (builders plastic) beneath.
8. If you have a lengthy job ahead of you, assign somebody to keep the removed material wet until it is time to package for disposal. Once again, use a non-pressure garden hose for this purpose.
9. When complete, package all the waste material within two layers of builder's plastic sheeting and don't be tempted to try and "pack" a lot of material into one area. Keep the package size manageable and seal completely with adhesive tape. Try and remove any excess air from the packaging before finally sealing the last aperture. Be very careful when doing this, so as not to release any dust.
10. Waste must be labelled clearly as "asbestos waste" and promptly removed to a designated asbestos waste disposal facility in your locality. It's best to engage a licensed waste removal company to do this. Never be tempted to simply toss the asbestos waste into a rubbish skip, or process through the normal rubbish collection system. Remember the dumping of asbestos waste incorrectly is against the law.

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30 June 2016