When it comes to renovation projects, asbestos is a concern. Homeowners should never try to remove the substance on their own. Instead, they should leave it up to the professionals. The goal is to guarantee everyone is safe once asbestos becomes airborne, which requires following the rules and working carefully.
Skilled professionals will take necessary precautions to safely remove asbestos from any location. Continue reading about the steps these experts take to better understand their process.
Wear protective gear
The team starts their work by putting on personal protective equipment (PPE) to eliminate the risk of asbestos exposure. Synthetic clothing materials are tightly bound to prevent asbestos fibers from penetrating the clothing and contacting the skin. In addition to coveralls, the team will wear synthetic socks, rubber boots, disposable gloves, protective eyewear, and a respiratory mask.
Respiratory masks are one of the most important PPE components. Asbestos is an airborne substance that can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and cancers within the digestive system. This risky job calls for strong face coverings.
There are two durable options to pick from. The first is a facepiece that uses negative pressure and an air-purifying respirator with high-efficiency filters. The other option is an air-purifying respirator with replaceable filters that utilizes a battery-powered pump for stabilization.
Remove or cover items in the affected area
There are six types of asbestos, and each is incredibly dangerous. Once asbestos is airborne, it can also contaminate furniture, clothing, and so much more.
Before the team can get to work, the owner of the house or facility must remove as much as they can from the space. The team will get to work covering any leftover items with polyethylene sheets and reduce the risk of contamination.
Seal the workspace
After covering up the remaining items in the room, the professionals will finish preparing by completely sealing the work area. Isolating the asbestos within the space decreases the chance of spreading to other areas of the office building or house.
Professionals continue to use polyethylene sheets to cover the floors, walls, and open doorways to safeguard the space. After properly sealing the space, it’s time for the team to get to the bulk of the project.
Place the hazardous substances into disposal bags
After the professionals remove the asbestos from the affected area, the next precaution they take is to safely place the substances into a waste disposal bag. They then take the bag to another location for proper disposal.
After sealing the bag up tight, they place it inside another bag. This additional step reduces the chance of asbestos fibers releasing into the air.
Asbestos removal isn’t a simple job. Nevertheless, the skilled process guarantees a safe environment.
