Critical Questions to Ask an Asbestos Abatement Contractor
If you are a facility supervisor and suspect that your building has asbestos, you should hire an abatement company immediately. Asbestos removal services have the staff, equipment, experience and skills to safely remove hazardous material from a building. Once you hire a contractor, you can engage them and ask questions you believe are pertinent to the process. This article highlights critical questions every facility manager should ask an asbestos abatement company before the removal process starts.
How Many Samples Do You Need? — Sample collection is an integral aspect of asbestos removal, and without it, the whole process cannot proceed. Asbestos abatement companies need samples to determine the type of fibres they are dealing with. Generally, samples that asbestos technicians collect mainly depend on property size. The reason is that parts of a building can have fewer asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) than others. Sample collection from different sections helps asbestos removal technicians identify all the sources. Generally, technicians need at least three samples if your property is less than 1000 square feet. Properties between 1001 and 5000 square feet require at least five samples. The information is critical for active properties since it informs facility managers about evacuation strategies.
Is Removal Mandatory for all Asbestos? — Most facility supervisors believe that asbestos removal is mandatory every time an abatement company shows up. Of course, removal is the surest way to ensure that occupants are safe from the harmful effects of asbestos. However, not every visit requires asbestos removal. The reason is that sealing asbestos is sometimes the best possible strategy that an abatement company can recommend. For instance, sealing ACMs might be appropriate if asbestos is located is in hard-to-reach areas such as decommissioned chimneys. Reaping such areas to access and remove asbestos can lead to extensive and expensive repairs. You do not have to worry about sealing ACMs because it is just as safe as removal, but only if done by professionals.
Are Follow-Ups Mandatory? — Once asbestos removal technicians are done with the task, they vacuum every nook and cranny before allowing occupants back to a building. However, it does not mark the end of the abatement process. An experienced asbestos removal company understands that a follow-up visit to a property is essential for safety. Most importantly, a follow-up visit is meant to determine whether abatement was thorough enough to eliminate all the asbestos that posed a danger to occupants. During a follow-up visit, technicians take surface and air samples for analysis to determine the presence or absence of fibres. A building only gets a clean bill of health if test results come back negative.
For more information on asbestos removal, contact a professional near you.
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