Asbestos Removal Dangers

By Author: Lucas Warren
Total Articles: 1
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What is asbestos? Asbestos is any of several minerals that readily separate into long, flexible fibres. Chrysotile is the most common type and accounts for about 95 percent of all asbestos in commercial use. Asbestos was mined in Australia from the 1940s to late 1980s and used in a variety of materials and products.The fibre was formerly widely used inbrake linings, gaskets, and insulation; and inroofing shingles, floor and ceiling tiles, cement pipes, and otherbuilding materials.

Inhaling asbestos fibres can cause health risks such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Majority of people who have contracted these diseases have a long history of exposure to asbestos and spanning over a long period of time.

Safe asbestos removal practices:

* You must not cut, grind or break asbestos sheeting

* Appropriate protective equipment needs to be used, eg Australian Standards Protection Level 2 (P2) minimum half face disposable mask, disposable coveralls, protective gloves, goggles, steel cap boots

* Asbestos sheets needs to be removed with minimal breakage and must be kept wet to limit the release ...
... of fibres

* Asbestos needs to be doubled wrapped in builders plastic 200um thick

* Asbestos needs to be disposed of at a licensed disposal landfill or transfer station, WSN Environmental Solutions have several sites that accept asbestos

* Asbestos removal should not take place on windy days

AC Asbestos Cement sheets pose a high health risk when they are in poor condition, broken, damaged or unpainted.

If your home is more than 25 years old it is likely that your home contains asbestos cement sheeting, commonly referred to as fibro.

You can find asbestos cement sheeting in your external walls, eaves & roof
Internally majority of bathroom & laundry walls are also lined with asbestos cement sheeting. Other walls may also contain asbestos cement sheeting
Other areas of the home that asbestos may be found in:
Asbestos cement sheeted garages, sheds, fences, vinyl floor

Roughly thirty percent of buildings contain some form of asbestos. In regards to bonded asbestos such as asbestos cement sheeting, a high health risk arises when the sheets are damaged, eroded or in poor condition.

If you do not know the condition of your asbestos cement sheeting then you can get an asbestos report done by a licensed asbestos contractor, which will outline all areas containing asbestos, the condition of the area, the health risks associated with the asbestos and the required course of action.

Many homes & garages contain corrugated asbestos cement roof sheeting that is in poor condition, i.e. unpainted, weather damaged, eroded. Action is a must in these cases, and a licensed asbestos removal contractor should be contacted.

LEGISLATION & ASBESTOS REMOVAL NSW

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

2001 (Regulation) outlines the following specific requirements for asbestos:

Chapter 4, clauses 43 and 44
Risk assessment, control and asbestos registerThe controller of premises must identify any foreseeable hazards and control them. An asbestos register and exposure standards must be kept.

Chapter 6, clauses 169 and 170
Carcinogenic substances (health surveillance records)For employers the use of asbestos in the form of chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, fibrous anthophyllite, tremolite or actinolite are prohibited except for the purpose of sampling or analysis, maintenance, removal, disposal, encapsulation or enclosure and any potential exposure must be recorded and advice given to the employee.

Chapter 8 – Asbestos in Construction
Specific conditions for asbestos work on construction sites and prohibition on the reuse of asbestos products or water blasting asbestos products.

Chapter 10 – Licence Requirements
The requirements for licensing bonded and friable asbestos removalists; from 1 January 2008, a licence is required to remove more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos material.

Chapter 11 – Permit Applications
Permits for friable asbestos removal work.

Chapter 12 – Notification of work
Notification of bonded asbestos removal work; exemption requirements for naturally occurring asbestos.

The regulation does not allow the use, reuse or sale of any asbestos product.
Asbestos Removal Sydney licensed contractor, providing safe & reliable services, house roof & walls, garages, sheds, walls, ceilings, laundry & bathrooms, Asbestos Removal Ryde etc.
If you want to know more information,please visit our site:http://www.sydneycityasbestos.com