Asbestos Demolition in London – What Happens?

Between the 1930s and 1970s, asbestos was used around the globe for the construction of homes, schools, and both commercial and industrial buildings. At one point in time, asbestos was used to make more than 3000 consumer products, which included hairdryers and kitchen appliances. Despite its many uses, the known human carcinogen is related to asbestos cancer, which claims the lives of thousands of people every single year. It was only when asbestos guidelines were issued in 1985 that the use of this hazardous building material was banned. Some properties may still have asbestos woven into the construction, whereas others (particularly new properties built after 1999) may not. Should a survey uncover a problem, the following services will come in handy.

Uncovering the Asbestos

First of all, the asbestos will be uncovered in the property after an initial inspection is performed to determine whether asbestos demolition in London is a good idea. Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be worn at this time so that the eyes don’t become irritated by fibrous particles and also so that the particles are not inhaled. Goggles, a mask, boots, overalls and gloves will be worn by our surveyor when taking samples. A skilled workforce will likely team up to look for any asbestos-containing materials before they are bagged up carefully and samples sent off for testing.

Analysing the Materials

Why not just remove the suspected material with asbestos demolition in London, rather than go through the hassle of analysing it, you ask? Well, covering the asbestos or encapsulating it to stop fibres from being released is a possible option if the asbestos has not been damaged too badly. Damaged asbestos will pollute the environment a lot more than asbestos that has gone untouched. Typically, materials will be analysed with a visual examination and then sent off to a laboratory for testing. Work permit system compliance must be practised at this time and environmental monitoring might commence ensuring the materials have not polluted other areas.

Testing the Asbestos

Hazardous materials should be tested sooner rather than later by our asbestos sampling specialists because leaving a problem to fester means risking your health and the health of other people who might also be exposed to it. The risk of developing a health condition like mesothelioma will reduce significantly once asbestos has been tested in a laboratory and removed by our fully trained and experienced operatives.