If asbestos-containing material is undisturbed and won’t be disturbed (by remodelling for instance), leave it alone. However, if damaged or disturbed material needs inspection and testing by an accredited expert.
For accurate and safe asbestos testing Adelaide, wear appropriate protective gear and carefully follow instructions in your testing kit. Whenever taking samples for analysis, always collect it in an undamaged container.
Don’t Disturb
Asbestos only poses a threat if it becomes frayed, crumbling, or damaged and releases fibres into the air. Once intact and secured behind walls or in attics or within products it poses no health risks.
However, asbestos-containing materials (ACM) when damaged can release fibres into the air that can then be inhaled by people and lead to serious health risks including mesothelioma and lung diseases. ACM can be found in floor tiles, roof shingles, exterior siding, cement products and some automobile brakes – this risk must be carefully considered if asbestos use is ever to be reduced further.
Assuming you don’t suspect or plan a remodel of the area where asbestos-containing material (ACM) exists, and without cause to disturb it, it is generally wise to leave it be. Consult a trained and accredited asbestos professional if further assistance is required. If disturbing asbestos samples for testing purposes is necessary, limited access should be allowed into the work area through barricades to avoid spreading contamination to areas outside its designated work zone and plastic sheeting over doorways and windows should also help keep ACM dust from dissenting away.
Don’t Touch
Asbestos is a dangerous mineral composed of microscopic fibres. When disturbed, asbestos-containing materials release these microscopic fibres into the air, where they may become airborne and be inhaled into one’s lungs causing serious health concerns such as asbestosis and lung cancer.
Asbestos that is undisturbed typically poses no immediate health threat; however, it is essential to inspect all material regularly for signs of wear or damage that could release asbestos fibres into the atmosphere. Any material more than slightly damaged – or changes that disturb it – should be tested by an accredited asbestos professional for a safe asbestos testing Adelaide.
If you must collect samples of suspect material, do so by lightly wetting the area with a mist of water. Never use a vacuum to collect samples as this could release asbestos into the air. To ensure integrity of your sample, send it directly to an accredited laboratory for analysis.
Don’t Move
When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed – including being cut, sawed, sawn apart or otherwise broken apart – dangerous fibres may be released into the air and inhaled, potentially leading to respiratory illnesses like lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Due to asbestos’s invisibility and smell-proof properties, testing is the only reliable way of knowing whether a material contains it. Homeowners planning renovation changes should hire a state-certified asbestos inspector prior to initiating any work on their renovations.
Long-term asbestos exposure can result in health complications. Testing provides peace of mind and helps homeowners make wise choices regarding projects or repairs they undertake.
Don’t Take Samples
Asbestos material that is in good condition does not need to be sampled; however, when repairs or renovations might disturb this material, a certified professional should inspect and take samples for analysis.
These professionals have the specialised training necessary to handle each product type and can advise on any necessary corrections as well as qualified contractors that are best qualified to make these modifications. In addition, they may conduct asbestos management surveys, refurbishment surveys or demolition surveys as necessary.
When sampling friable asbestos-containing materials like asbestos cement sheet, vermiculite insulation, or attic blown-in insulation it must be done so with great caution and precision using a sharp blade to cut a small piece. Once cut it should be sealed into an appropriate container (such as a 35 mm film canister, small glass/plastic vial, or high quality, resealable plastic bag). To minimise dust during sampling sites must also be dampened down while those taking samples must use adequate personal decontamination processes before doing their work – as well as following an adequate decontamination process appropriate to the risk involved when taking samples themselves for a safe asbestos testing Adelaide.