By Cailyn Theo
Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that mankind has used for thousands of years, mainly due to its resistance to fire and it wasn’t until the post WWII years when we finally realised that asbestos caused serious respiratory disease. In the 1930s, people that worked in asbestos factories had short life expectancy, with many dying of lung cancer and this led to the medical profession putting 2 and 2 together and discovering that asbestos slivers are easily inhaled by workers.
Post World War II Construction
If a building in Australia was constructed before the 1980s, there is every likelihood that asbestos is present in some form; it might be pipe lagging, roofing sheets or partition panels. This does not mean that you are in any danger if you live in a home that contains asbestos; it is only when the material is disturbed that the tiny asbestos slivers can become airborne. An example would be removing a sheet of board when renovating; when the material splinters, tiny slivers of fibre are released into the atmosphere and should a person inhale these slivers, there is a long-term risk of contracting lung disease.
Asbestos Removal
There is a huge industry dedicated to asbestos testing and removal; if you are based in Perth, asbestos removal services can easily be found with an online search. If you are planning to renovate a commercial warehouse or factory, you need to contact an asbestos removal company and ask them to carry out testing. The technician has all the equipment and protective gear and can quickly determine whether or not asbestos is present; if it isn’t, you are free to continue with your renovations, but if the substance is detected, then the team would set about prepping for its safe removal. It might be removed at a later date, if that is more convenient and then it is safe to continue with the work. This industry will be around for many years, as there are still many buildings that contain asbestos and whenever you are planning any renovations, make sure you test for the presence of this very harmful substance.
Online Solutions
If you would like to make contact with an asbestos removal firm, Google is your best friend and a single search will put you in touch with a Perth based company that works with asbestos. Don’t do anything at the site until the testing has been completed and you are sure that there is no asbestos present.
