ASBESTOS REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a general term for minerals made of microscopic fibers. Asbestos is a heat-resistant, chemical-resistant, lightweight, bacteria-resistant mineral. This naturally occurring fibrous silicate is an insulator. While this miracle material was useful for so many things, it turned out that it isn’t good for people. Today, the usage of Asbestos is banned in most countries including U.A.E after scientists have discovered that inhalation of its fibers over some time can cause serious respiratory illness including lung cancer.
There are three types of Asbestos, Crocidolite or blue asbestos, Amosite or brown asbestos, chrysotile or white asbestos. All these three types are hazardous if it gets into the air. Chrysolite was not banned until 1999, so asbestos can be still present in older buildings.
Health Hazard
However, we still live, work, and reside in buildings where asbestos materials that were used still exist in the structures. Before its health hazards were fully understood, asbestos was used in thousands of products from Piano parts to electric blankets, carpeting to toasters. Because of its unique qualities, asbestos found many uses in the construction industry as well. It was incorporated in plaster and wallboard, stiffness sprayed onto walls ceilings, steel girders as fire and soundproofing, and wrapped around pipes boilers, heating ducts, and other utility systems as insulation. Asbestos was also used in roof shingles and siding, popcorn ceilings, electrical switchboard panels, plumbing fixtures, thermal boilers, fireplace insulations, vinyl floor tiles, and other various products.
EPSCO involvement in cleaning Asbestos
EPSCO has been in the business of asbestos abatement and removal for more than 2 decades and has worked in many countries. EPSCO provides asbestos type 1, 2, and 3 surveys. Be it for identification and management or for identifying asbestos for removal before demolition of a building, our inspectors are trained and certified to carry out all three types of surveys. All surveys are carried out as per international standards. Several samples are collected from the site and sent to an approved laboratory for analysis. This process will establish the presence of asbestos, the type of asbestos, and the percentage of asbestos content in the material.
EPSCO has experience of asbestos surveys offshore as well. We have contracts with some of the large rig owners for whom we carry out annual surveillance inspections and maintain the asbestos registers. If there’s Asbestos at your home or workplace, you don’t have to panic but give EPSCO a call. EPSCO’s Asbestos abatement services involve identification through inspection sampling and analysis, repair, and encapsulation of the materials in the buildings to eliminate the threat of exposure to asbestos fibers. We help in preparing the asbestos register and maintenance of the same.
EPSCO recommends keeping an eye on asbestos-containing products and visually checking them over time for signs of wear or damage. If there is any sign of wear or damage such as tears, abrasions, or water damage, you must contact EPSCO immediately. EPSCO recommends the removal of all asbestos if it is possible to completely remove it. Only in the event removal is not possible, abatement shall be considered. Asbestos removal and repair must be done only by trained and skilled professionals. (Process)
Removing Asbestos from any residential, commercial, or public buildings involves following strict procedures outlined in the international standards. All the staff involved in the removal process are trained and certified. Following international standards, all asbestos removal projects are carried out after extensive risk assessment of the site and preparing a site-specific method statement. For the majority of the removal projects, a three-stage decontamination unit is used. All the workers undergo timely fit tests and work with the full set of asbestos PPE. Materials removed are disposed of in strict compliance with the local and international standards. All records related to asbestos removal jobs are archived long term as mandated by the regulation.
EPSCO Team
EPSCO team is specialized in all aspects of asbestos repair, removal, management, and training. ESPCO staff has been trained as per the US Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.
EPSCO Group offers globally a range of Asbestos Consultancy and Management services, including routine inspection, sampling and analysis, and maintenance of Asbestos Registers for industrial and commercial facilities, ships, and rigs.