Why an Asbestos Consultant is Important for Businesses

Most people are aware that asbestos can be dangerous. It attributes to thousands of deaths each year and causes serious lung problems.

An asbestos consultant is trained to perform a survey and to write removal specifications. They also conduct air clearance monitoring following abatement. Beware of “one stop shopping”. Your Consultant should sample/identify the hazard and recommend a reputable abatement Contractor to do the work.

Professionalism

Anyone that manages a building or workplace with potential asbestos containing materials needs to have expert asbestos consultants on hand. The regulations surrounding this material are stringent, and failure to follow the correct procedures can lead to huge fines or even prosecution. Asbestos consultants are fully aware of the regulations – it’s their job to know them inside out.

Asbestos is a dangerous substance when it is released into the air, and can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma. Therefore, a survey is needed to determine the presence of any asbestos before renovations or demolition work can take place. In addition, a survey should be conducted if damage to the building occurs – such as flooding or fire.

An experienced asbestos consultant will provide clear advice on the correct actions to take, and the best way to remove or encapsulate any asbestos containing materials. They will be able to write removal specifications, tender projects, vet contractors and suppliers and oversee delivery to ensure everything runs smoothly.

In addition, a good asbestos consultancy will have staff qualified as Project Designers and Asbestos Management Planners. This means they can create plans, procedures and other substantive direction for abatement projects involving the removal of asbestos-containing materials in schools or other premises where the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations apply. They can also be certified as Asbestos Project Monitors, allowing them to function on-site and interpret the results of an asbestos survey or asbestos management plan, and monitor and evaluate contractor or employee compliance with rules, regulations or specifications.

Expertise

If you are a property owner, building contractor or managing a business, it is likely that you will need the services of an asbestos consultant at some point. Asbestos is present in many buildings across the country and it is the responsibility of owners to ensure that asbestos is surveyed and removed correctly. Failure to comply can result in huge fines or even prosecution for companies and individuals.

It is important to use an experienced and qualified company who will provide you with the correct advice and guidance. They will identify and test materials within your building to confirm whether they are ACM. They will then create a plan that will allow you to remove the material safely according to Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations.

Asbestos is a hazardous substance that can cause serious problems for humans if it is inhaled by those working on sites. This is because it can cause respiratory issues and lung diseases such as mesothelioma, a cancer of the lungs. This is often fatal and can take 20 or 30 years for symptoms to appear.

An experienced and qualified asbestos consultancy will prepare a project design and specifications for the abatement of ACM. This will include locations of ACM, budgetary cost estimates and air monitoring during the removal process. They will also attend all pre-bid walkthroughs and be available to support any abatement contractors during the abatement.

Confidence

Asbestos is a dangerous substance that kills thousands of people each year and causes serious lung problems. Those responsible for managing buildings that might contain asbestos have a legal responsibility to manage the risk properly. This is known as a Duty to Manage and failure to do so will result in huge fines for the organisation concerned.

An asbestos surveyor will identify the presence of asbestos in your building and will advise you on the best way to deal with it. They can help you develop an asbestos management plan, as well as helping you put the necessary procedures in place to ensure that any future works carried out on your building will be done safely.

A good asbestos consultancy will use an accredited and licensed laboratory for their analysis. They will prepare a final report that details the survey methodology, sample locations, analytical results, description of homogenous areas with positive analytical results including quantity and location of ACM present, recommendations, etc.

They will also be able to provide a limit of detection (LOD) value for the asbestos which is used as a basis for controlling Type I errors, i.e. claiming the presence of asbestos when it is actually negligible. They will also consider a range of other factors that affect the measurement of asbestos fiber concentrations, and can determine upper and lower confidence limits on these concentrations.

Independence

Anyone whose building is being renovated or demolished should employ an asbestos consulting service. These professionals are responsible for ensuring that any asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in the building are identified and monitored prior to renovation or demolition, so that the health and safety of people inside the building are protected from the release of dangerous fibers into the air.

Asbestos consultants can be found working in all types of industries, from schools and hospitals to hotels, construction firms and shipping companies. In some cases, they also work with homeowners, who might need to hire them for projects such as redoing an older home or a barn conversion. It is essential to use a consultant with plenty of experience in the industry, particularly within the particular building that needs to be surveyed and managed.

Having extensive experience in the building type is especially helpful, as the approaches to surveying and abatement may differ from a warehouse to a hospital. When choosing an asbestos consultancy, choose one that has a proven track record with satisfied clients.

Although asbestos can be dangerous in its solid form, it only becomes a risk when it is disturbed and releases its fibres into the air. Inhaling these can cause respiratory problems and even mesothelioma, a fatal lung cancer that cannot be treated. Many families of mesothelioma victims seek legal guidance in order to access the asbestos trust funds that have been set up to help them.