Refurbishment and demolition projects must be carefully planned to ensure that the execution of the plan is as safe as it can possibly be. In terms of dangerous materials on site that could cause illness and injury to those workers on site, to residents and passers-by, one of the most significant dangers is that of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials on site. When a building or structure is to undergo a refurbishment or demolition, it is vital that a comprehensive refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey is undertaken by a specialist team. With the safe survey of a property to see if asbestos is present, it can be removed by licensed operators and in the safest way possible, before any work is undertaken.
A refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey might be classed as a type 3 asbestos survey by some companies. It is a survey that is used to accurately locate and describe wherever asbestos or asbestos-containing materials are present within a building where there is a planned project to either extensively refurbish the property, or where it is to be demolished completely. If asbestos is secured and sealed, then it does not pose an immediate threat to humans who are around it on a regular basis. The problem is where asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, causing asbestos fibres to move in the air. If these are breathed in, the long-term health complications could be severe to those who come into contact with it.
If a property is to be refurbished or demolished, there is a legal requirement that a refurbishment or demolition asbestos survey is undertaken. This is linked to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, which states that all materials containing asbestos must be safely and securely removed from a building prior to any major structural work, refurbishment or demolition can take place. This is to ensure the highest level of health and safety for all concerned, including the general public in the form of passers-by to the site in question.
If you are the person responsible for managing a site where refurbishment or demolition is due to take place, or you own the building in question, you have a legal duty of care to ensure that a full and thorough refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey takes place before any work commences. This is the case for any building where there is an upgrading of the structure to be undertaken, but if there is any doubt over what type of survey you need, always speak with an expert in the field to ensure that you have left no stone unturned and are doing everything that you should be to keep every person safe from harm.
Getting in touch with a licensed asbestos survey and removal company is a vital part of being as safe as possible when looking at a project where a building is to be extensively refurbished or demolished completely. If you are worried that there might be asbestos present on site, you should always conduct an extensive survey of asbestos-containing materials before any work is undertaken. It would be negligent to do anything other than this, as it only takes one breath of asbestos fibres to cause long-term illness and fatality through an illness such as mesothelioma or asbestosis. You can never be too careful when it comes to the presence of asbestos on a site, especially if demolition or refurbishment is to take place, where materials and dust will likely disperse into the air surrounding the site.