In 2013, the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) published a fact sheet on asbestos. In outlines several items that a restoration contactor needs to know about the hazards of encountering asbestos. In this document, they list the Do’s and Don’ts you should do when you encounter asbestos. We would like to mention a few of them.
- DO: Perform an assessment of the materials that you suspect may contain asbestos. This needs to be done by a trained/qualified person, this could be either someone in your organization or a certified asbestos Inspector.
- DO: If the assessment comes back from the lab positive for containing asbestos, the materials need to be handled, removed, and disposed of according all EPA and OSHA guidelines.
- DO: If the samples sent to the lab to be tested for asbestos comes back positive, notify the owner and other interested parties of the positive test so a decision can be made of how to proceed.
- DON’T: If the building material is suspected to contain asbestos, do not disturb the materials or introduce air movement that could blow possible asbestos fibers into the air or other areas of the room/building.
- DON’T: Any debris removed from a restoration site that contains asbestos needs to be disposed of properly. Do not dispose of asbestos containing materials as regular building material waste.
Abatement Services is certified to remove and dispose of asbestos materials within all EPA & OSHA guidelines. We will take all the necessary steps to ensure the safety of your employees and your clients to minimize any possible exposure to asbestos.
Source: RIA Fact Sheet ~ “Asbestos Guidance for the Restoration Industry” https://www.restorationindustry.org/sites/default/files/docs/ria_asbestos_fact_sheet_final.pdf