Safety During Building Demolition

Posted under environment by Darren Johnson McLennon

During the demolition of a building, it is quite common for the workforce to find asbestos present. Because of how dangerous it is to inhale asbestos fibres, any asbestos found must be completely isolated and removed from the building without releasing any fibres into the atmosphere.

To do this, demolition companies will often have an Environmental division to look after dangerous materials and areas of the demolition contract that will affect the surroundings. It is vital to comply with current legislation regarding Asbestos because of its dangerous nature.

When Asbestos is found on the premises, it has to be isolated within a sealed area. Specially trained personnel wearing suitable protection as well as an air supply will then safely remove the asbestos into sealed bags ready for disposal off site. This can be a time consuming job as it is important to contain the Asbestos fibres completely. Once the area is clear of all traces of Asbestos material then the rest of the demolition process can continue.

It is important to conduct a comprehensive site survey initially in order to locate any Asbestos as this will save you unexpected down time once the demolition process has begun. The removal of Asbestos materials takes precedence over other activities on site in order to protect all staff working on site.

Asbestos is still present in a wide variety of buildings, including hospitals, schools and homes, often in walls and ceilings as well as in lagging around steam pipes and boilers. It can be a hazard to health and for this reason its use has declined considerably in recent years. Strict regulations now exist to prevent dangerous levels of exposure.

Most of the time, people become alarmed and panicked when they learn that the building that they live or work in has asbestos in its walls or ceilings, and more often than not, this panic is unnecessary. As long as the asbestos was installed well and the building has been well kept, it is unlikely to do any harm to anyone as it will not have been directly exposed, it will usually have been concealed using other materials to make a ceiling or a wall, or will at least be covered with a layer of paint. Only if it is openly exposed and releasing fibre particles into the air is asbestos dangerous.

For advice or assistance removing Asbestos from a building, click - demolition in bedford or demolition in bedfordshire.