We have already mentioned how important it is to get a licensed and professional disposal company to take care of your removal asbestos. What is also important in this process is to ensure that all contractors you hire to do renovations do the same. You give them your home and security, and it is their duty to ensure that they do everything by the book.
This week a contractor in Pittsford, New York, was tried in federal court to ignore the prescribed security measures for the removal of asbestos. This contractor overseeing a renovation project, and when it came on asbestos in the basement of the building, he decided not to hire a specialist to reducing emissions under license.
Instead, he hired an independent contractor to remove unlicensed brittle pipe casing of asbestos. Friable asbestos is the most hazardous form of asbestos and can be easily crumbled, releasing fibers into the air ?? a serious health risk.
The inhalation or ingestion of asbestos fibers is what can lead to a variety of serious diseases. One of these diseases is mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that has no cure.
So as you can see, hiring an unlicensed contractor is a problem because there are several very important steps in the appropriate reduction mandated by OSHA and without hiring a removal company licensed; there is no way to know for sure what has been done to the code. There are guidelines established for the classification of removal, application of requirements for standard labeling, use of glove bags, and High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum for cleaning equipment .
There are many policies and procedures in place for a reason, and many relate to friable asbestos. Indeed, once the asbestos fibers enter the lungs, they sit there doing silent ravages of anywhere from 20 to 50 years before you begin to feel and live side effects or prior damage the fibers shown on a chest radiograph.
If you could avoid it, why not you?
The Pittsford contractor pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing. The biggest thing that we hope you take away from this blog is to do your research when someone hired to do work on your property and make sure that licensed professionals are used when the reduction is necessary. As you read, the consequences can be disastrous.
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