Asbestos, a natural material, was used as a common construction material in buildings. During the time period of the 1920s – 1990s, nobody was familiar with its risk factors worldwide. Its fire-resistance properties made it a popular element. Besides this, it was considered useful to enhance the building’s structural integrity. Later on, the health hazards of asbestos materials came into the limelight. It was discovered that asbestos in disturbed capacity has the ability to discharge microscopic sizes of asbestos fibres into the atmosphere. This may cause critical health problems.
At Asbestos Victoria, we provide safe, reliable asbestos removal services, regardless of your building type. However, you should know WorkSafe asbestos safety tips. Read the following blog to learn about asbestos safety guidelines in Victoria.
Identify Asbestos Material in Old Buildings
Looking for asbestos handling safe practices? According to WorkSafe Victoria, asbestos material is in buildings built before the 1980s. You can discover it in high percentages in insulation, cement pipes, and ceiling tiles. Hence, you must schedule a professional asbestos inspection. This will help you determine whether the areas you suspect contain asbestos or not. Remember, treat the potential area as if it contains asbestos. Follow it until you get a confirmed lab test report.
Take the Help of Professionals for Safe Asbestos Testing and Removal
When it comes to preventing asbestos exposure, you should have the help of professionals. With their long years of specialised knowledge, they know how to collect samples. Many times, asbestos-containing materials look intact and become disturbed with a gentle touch. The exposure can cause lung cancer and other health risks. Additionally, they use advanced wet methods along with PPE for safe removal.
Use Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment
Then, you are to wear PPE a prevention unexpected contact with asbestos. Very often, experts recommend the FFP3 respirator. These respirators are disposable in nature. They are ideal for preventing the risk of contamination in safe zones. These filter out microscopic asbestos fibres. Other PPE equipment you should have is boots without laces, disposable overalls, together with gloves.
Do Not Disturb Asbestos Containing Materials
You should avoid the disturbance of asbestos-containing materials. Remember, those asbestos materials that are intact bind fibres in them. When you disturb them, their fibres can be released into the air. Hence, make sure you hire a reliable professional for their removal process.
Choose Proper Work Methods
Keep in mind that not every asbestos removal job does not follows the same strategy. To know which method is appropriate for you, assess the type of job, as well as the condition of asbestos materials. However, professionals often choose the wet process. It simply means that they wet the material efficiently to suppress the dust.
Ensure the Proper Disposal of the Asbestos Waste
During asbestos disposal, it is necessary to adhere to the safety guidelines. Bear in mind that any material containing asbestos has the ability to poison areas that were supposed to be safe. Hence, professionals should place them in sealed containers. And yes, they should label them as asbestos materials.
Make Sure There Is Adequate Ventilation
Adequate ventilation can help release asbestos fibres. This reduces the risk of their high concentration. It should be mentioned that the concentration of asbestos fibres can be diluted with fresh air, which is why there is no risk of their exposure. Also, it is recommended not to use strong fans because they pose a danger of fibres spreading across the area.
Prepare for Unexpected Situations
Indeed, practitioners have controlled the extraction of asbestos. But there always remains the risk of unexpected incidents. Hence, you should plan the following things, including:
- Evacuation strategy
- First-aid help
- Specialised methods to handle accidental situations when asbestos is disturbed.
Do Regular Risk Assessments
Make sure you do regular risk assessments of asbestos materials to ensure enhanced protection. Hence, you should test the work environment for asbestos fibre exposure. This will help you know whether the activities are being performed in a controlled environment or not. Also, verify safety measures and assess their efficiency. With its support, you can learn new risks that can lead to asbestos exposure. Follow this WorkSafe asbestos advice for its safe removal.
Ensure Using Air Monitoring
Are you working in an environment where the asbestos fibres can be disturbed? In this situation, you should do air monitoring as a safety measure. Remember, regular air monitoring can help you know the asbestos concentration level. This way, you can learn how effective safety measures are. Also, you can get a warning before the over-exposure happens. This way, you can prevent health risks.
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Welcome to Asbestos Victoria! We are committed to providing top-notch asbestos removal services. Contact us today at 1300-893-366 to get a transparent, fair quote estimate. Choose our local team to see what makes us a leading contractor throughout the region.