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Asbestos Removal UK: Every year, according to the official Health and Safety Executive figures, about 5,000 people die from health conditions caused by exposure to asbestos. If your UK home or business premises calls for the removal and disposal of some asbestos you should seek expert help in order to do this in a safe way. If you're carrying out work on an older building and encountered a material that you suspect could be asbestos, you must cease work immediately and seek the advice of a qualified asbestos removal professional. A decent asbestos removal contractor in UK will rapidly be able to assess the situation and offer advice on the appropriate technique for disposal.

Some specific asbestos building materials don't call for a certified asbestos contractor to undertake the removal and disposal. However, due to the long lasting effects to health from asbestos fibres and dust, it's always sound practice to use certified asbestos removal professionals. An established UK asbestos removal specialist will be HSE licensed and trained, and will adhere to all the necessary guidelines and laws to correctly and safely conduct the removal from your home.

Asbestos when it is left untouched isn't harmful to health. Only when it's scraped or cut can small asbestos fibres be released into the atmosphere. If such particles are inhaled they enter the lungs and get trapped, causing a health condition known as asbestosis. These fibres are also a contributing factor to the development of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

You should seek expert medical advice if you think that you've been in contact with asbestos over time and you have developed symptoms from the list above.

Asbestos was extensively used in UK construction and building from 1945 to 1985, but it was actually banned from use in 1999. Those owning properties and homes built during this period of time should be cautious when redesigning or doing any construction work due to the increased chances of discovering asbestos. Asbestos was used in items such as boiler insulation, ceiling tiles and pipe lagging and was also used in spray form as an ideal fire-proofing and insulation material.

If you do find asbestos in your home in UK, it does not automatically result in an immediate danger or threat. It's only when asbestos is damaged or disturbed that it can become dangerous to health. There are a few situations where it may be better to leave the asbestos in place, ensuring it's not in any danger of being damaged. You ought to get help from a professional asbestos removal contractor if you are unsure about the risks posed by any asbestos in your home in UK.

Not all asbestos materials are considered high risk and call for certified removal specialists to tackle them. Due to how different asbestos components are produced and their likelihood of releasing harmful fibres into the environment, items like loose fill cavity insulations, pipe lagging and asbestos insulation boards are considered higher risk to health than asbestos cement sheets and roofing panels. No matter the risk associated with asbestos, an accredited asbestos removal firm in UK can safely identify, remove and eliminate any dangerous materials that are found in your property.

Subject to the kind and usage of the property, and whether the asbestos is in a form that requires a licenced contractor, then the Health & Safety Executive or the local authority should be notified. All asbestos work has to follow the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 to prevent and limit any exposure to asbestos dust and fibres.

If you do not hold a certified Health and Safety Executive asbestos license you may very well be prosecuted if you execute any asbestos removal work which calls for a licensed individual to complete the project.

Asbestos of any type, once it has been stripped away from your UK property or home, is regarded as hazardous waste. It is crucial that any hazardous asbestos waste is disposed of in a safe and proper manner, following the laid out guidelines from your local authority. By using an authorised asbestos removal company, you can be certain that they are sticking to all of the local authority and the Health & Safety Executive guidelines with regards to hazardous waste.

High risk asbestos products, such as loose fibre asbestos or damaged asbestos insulation, can only be removed from site using the guidelines stated in the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Act 2009 (CDG 2009). This requires a waste carrier's license to guarantee it's disposed of safely in a government approved disposal centre. Your UK asbestos removal specialist will take responsibility for ensuring this is done correctly, and has to retain all documentation concerning the removal and disposal for at least 3 years.

Before removing any items that may contain asbestos from your UK property, it is wise to confirm the materials that are involved. Only a licensed asbestos surveyor or company can legally affirm asbestos and the strategies necessary for its removal and disposal. You might choose not to undertake an asbestos inspection on your house or property, but if it was constructed between the years 1945 and 1999, you have to anticipate there is asbestos present and adhere to all safety precautions.

A qualified asbestos surveyor will undertake all inspections, sample-taking and analysis should be independent of your appointed asbestos removal contractor.

If the survey uncovers asbestos that requires an authorised contractor for removal and disposal, the HSE must be informed at least 2 weeks prior to the implementation of work. The appropriate paperwork will be provided by the asbestos removal company and should include: 1. A strategy for the asbestos sampling, as well as the methods of clearing up the work site after completion by following the four stage asbestos clearance process. 2. All risk assessments, work licenses, hazardous waste disposal training & testing and medical certificates for the task at hand. 3. A work plan expressing the legal guidelines that must be observed. 4. As soon as the 4 stages of clearances have been met, the Certificate of Reoccupation from an accredited organisation will be presented.

Sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) will be provided for all individuals accessing the site, by the asbestos removal firm, and they will also ensure the right disposal procedures for any asbestos materials.

To make certain you pick out a trustworthy asbestos removal contractor in UK there are 2 or 3 industry associations and bodies for asbestos management professionals.

ARCA - ARCA (Asbestos Removal Contractors Association) is the leading trade organisation for those companies and contractors working in the hazardous asbestos removal and disposal sector. Providing a comprehensive package of support, guidance and training, ARCA has taken responsibility for fostering reliability, professionalism and safe working practices for its membership.

UKATA - The nonprofit body, UKATA (the United Kingdom Asbestos Training Agency), commits itself to raising industry standards by offering the highest quality training and education for any person involved with asbestos. They also offer instantaneous affirmation of individual contractor's and company certifications through their online, searchable database.

ATaC - Asbestos surveyors, testing laboratories and analysts will usually be affiliated with ATaC, the Asbestos Testing Consultancy Association. ATaC is an approved UKAS associate and offers recognition for its members in this specialist area.

Asbestos Encapsulation UK

When asbestos is found inside a property in UK, it might not always be necessary to remove and dispose of it, given that there is another possible option which is called asbestos encapsulation. Asbestos encapsulation is a process whereby the asbestos containing materials (ACM's) are covered in a protective membrane to both protect the ACM's from the possibility of being damaged and to prevent the potentially harmful asbestos fibres from being released. This covering could be made up of a cloth or fabric wrap, a rigid sheet or a painted or sprayed coating. A comprehensive asbestos risk assessment will need to be completed on the ACM's in order to confirm whether they can be encapsulated rather than taken out.

Construction Products Which Might Contain Asbestos

• Asbestos Insulation Boards (AIB) (Panels in Fireproof Doors, Ceiling Tiles and Partition Walls
• Boiler Lagging
• Spray Coatings on Beams, Ceilings, Walls and Columns
• Floor Tiles
• Textiles (Protective Overalls, Heat-Resistent Gloves and Fire Blankets)
• Textured Coatings (Older Types of Polytex and Artex)
• Composite Materials (Toilet Cisterns, Window Sills and Bath Panels)
• Roofing Felt (Especially on Garages and Outbuildings)
• Gaskets and Rope Seals (Especially on Hot Water Boilers and Stove Doors)
• Asbestos Cement Products (Cladding, Roof Sheets and Downpipes)

Help and Guidance

If you'd like to learn more on asbestos, you will uncover info regarding the production of asbestos, the serious health issues caused by asbestos, how asbestos is regulated across the world, places where asbestos is still legal, the different types of asbestos & asbestos fibres, the recycling and disposal of asbestos, the natural occurrence of asbestos, early uses of asbestos and alternatives to asbestos in construction, by going to Wikipedia. If you want to discover more info on about what you need to know for safe asbestos removal head here. Get advice and guidance regarding asbestos and its removal and disposal from your local authority here. If you are on the lookout for a asbestos removal in UK and want to uncover somebody who's accredited and qualified you could check out the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association website.

Occupations Most at Risk of Mesothelioma (Asbestosis)

  (In No Particular Order)

• Electrical Maintenance Engineers
• Metal Working Maintenance & Production Fitters
• Construction Workers
• Mechanical Engineers
• Metal Plate Workers
• Sheet Metal Workers
• Plumbers
• Coach & Vehicle Body Builders
• Carpenters & Joiners
• Mates to Electrical, Metal & Related Fitters
• Electrical Energy, Boiler & Plant Operatives

  (Source: Health and Safety Executive Study 2009)

Asbestos Removal Tasks UK

Asbestos removal specialists should be able to help with asbestos replacement in UK, asbestos encasement, asbestos ceiling removal, the removal of asbestos in UK, asbestos inspections, asbestos insulation removal, asbestos removal services, asbestos removal estimates, asbestosis prevention, asbestos risk assessments, blue asbestos (crocidolite) removal, asbestos risk management in UK, asbestos management services in UK, hazardous waste removal, environmental cleaning, industrial asbestos removal, asbestos waste collection, and other hazardous waste related jobs.

Courses for Asbestos Removal

ATaC provide plenty of asbestos related courses, for anyone who wants to get the required qualifications for asbestos surveying, asbestos removal, asbestos management and asbestos analysis. The currently available courses include RSPH Level 4 Certificate in Asbestos Laboratory and Project Management, RSPH Level 3 Award in Asbestos Bulk Analysis, RSPH Level 3 Award in Asbestos Surveying, Remote RSH Level 3 Award in Asbestos Management for Dutyholders and RSPH Level 3 Award in Asbestos Air Monitoring. These qualifications are offered through the RSPH (Royal Society for Public Health), and have been created specifically for experts involved in asbestos management, who are working for UKAS authorised companies.

Other Trades in UK

When you're looking for asbestos removal in UK, you may also require the services of other tradesmen, for example you might need a carpenter in UK, a builder in UK, garden clearance in UK, a bricklayer in UK, damp proofing in UK, an electrician in UK, rubbish removal in UK, demolition services in UK, a cleaner in UK, removal services in UK, a plasterer in UK, or some other UK tradespeople.

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