A Northamptonshire-based asbestos removal company has stressed the importance of building surveys to avoid unexpected exposure to the hazardous substance as part of Global Asbestos Awareness Week.
Experts at Specialist Remediation Solutions (SRS) of Desborough said many people are unaware of the dangers of beginning home improvements without first checking the area for asbestos.
Managing director Stephen Booth said: “The mismanagement of asbestos is down to lack of surveys, lack of understanding and lack of identification of asbestos.
“Many people think most asbestos is just found in pipe lagging, but actually it can be in adhesive, floor tiles, and Artex ceilings to name a few, plus in the wider world it has been found in science equipment in schools and talcum powder. We need people to have a greater understanding of asbestos and where you might find it.”
Global Asbestos Awareness Week runs from 1st to 7th April and shines a spotlight on the ongoing risks of asbestos and the importance of safety and understanding.
Asbestos exposure risk stems from inhaling microscopic fibres that can cause severe, long-term diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer, often appearing more than 20 years later. The SRS specialist team has more than 60 years of combined experience in asbestos removal, first visiting the site to gather information to put the Asbestos Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS) together.
RAMS are critical, legally required documents in the UK for identifying hazards and outlining safe procedures for working with or removing Asbestos Containing Materials.
The team then build an enclosure which is put under negative pressure to be able to safely remove the asbestos and transfer it to sealed skips, which go to a waste transfer station or straight to landfill.
Stephen has warned of the risks of homeowners trying to dispose of asbestos without proper training or knowledge of The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
He said: “I think the most important regulations are 11 and 16, reducing the exposure and spread of asbestos. They are the key ones to focus on, especially in domestic properties where people are still living in the property, it is vital to reduce the level of exposure as much as possible without spreading the asbestos.
“We have proper training and important control measures in place for removing asbestos, we wear a full-face respirator and use a shadow vacuum, plus we do thorough checks afterwards for asbestos dust and debris with full air monitoring tests before we can issue a certificate of reoccupation.
“We’ll always tell people straight too, if it isn’t broken don’t fix it. We work with integrity and honesty, if we think it’s safer to leave the asbestos in place, that’s what we will advise. Integrity is important to us and disturbing the asbestos can be a greater risk then leaving it and covering it up.”
To find out more about the services, visit the Specialist Remediation Solutions (SRS) website.
