ASBESTOS ABATEMENT: TESTING, REMOVAL AND EXPOSURE
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once used in a variety of construction materials. It’s currently banned in most countries due to its connection to lung cancer and other serious health problems. However, asbestos testing is still required in many older buildings, including homes and schools.
Why asbestos is so dangerous
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was used for decades in construction materials like insulation, pipes and cement. It’s also found in many consumer products. Asbestos exposure can cause serious health problems such as lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned asbestos use in many products and mandates that businesses provide abatement services when they encounter asbestos-containing materials in their facilities. In addition, many states have laws governing asbestos removal and exposure.
Ways to test for asbestos
If your home has been built or renovated before 1980, there’s a good chance that some of the materials used contain asbestos—and not just the pipes and ductwork! That’s why it’s important to test your home for asbestos before you start any renovations.
There are two main ways to test for asbestos: using an air test kit or sending samples offsite for analysis. Both methods are relatively inexpensive but require some basic knowledge about how they work so that you can get accurate results.
If the results show that there are no ACMs present, then no further action needs to be taken. If the results show that there are ACMs present, then you’ll need to remove them before they pose any danger to your health.
Asbestos Abatement: Testing, Removal and Exposure
Asbestos abatement includes testing for asbestos, removing it safely, and protecting yourself from exposure. Testing for asbestos is done before any abatement work begins. This involves taking samples of the material to be removed, testing them for asbestos content and identifying any areas where asbestos may be present.
Bottomline
The key to asbestos testing and removal here is knowing what exactly needs to be done before you begin work on any part of your house. So if you’re looking into asbestos abatement in your area, contact us today! We’ll help you understand all the steps involved in testing for asbestos and removing contaminated materials properly so that you can get rid of them once and for all.
Author Bio-
Building off over 3 decades of experience from working with his father Jim Mayfield (Mayfield Enterprises, Inc.), James mastered the industry in Foremanship for over 15 years on HAZMAT and Superfund Sites throughout Southern California. Among many other partners, we has worked with Project Navigator, RE Solutions, Crew Grading Inc., WSP, SCS Engineers, TRC Corporation, GeoSyntec, NV5 Environmental, Entact Corp, Waste by Rail, Michael Baker, ERRG, O&M Corp, Largo Concrete, B&D Construction, Xebec, WorkSmart, JLL Enterprises, Mayfield Enterprises, Inc., Arcadis, and more. In addition to being a Stanford-educated Professor with over 30 publications and books in several languages (see Academic Resume), James’ real passion lies in Construction-related Project Management, Environmental Cleanups, HAZMAT, Excavation, and Field Labor. We are also Minority-Owned. James Mayfield is a Native American citizen of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas & Nebraska.