If you’re a builder, then chances are you’re familiar with asbestos abatement. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely used in construction due to its durability and resistance to fire and heat. However, exposure to asbestos can lead to serious health problems, including lung cancer. As a result, the use of asbestos has been banned in many countries, and builders who work with asbestos must take special precautions to protect themselves and those around them.

These days, although we don’t install asbestos products any longer, we are still constantly exposed and removing materials that are contaminated, especially from home renovations and building sites. In this blog post, we’ll give you an overview of everything you need to know about asbestos abatement, from what it is to how it’s done. We’ll also provide some tips on how to protect yourself from exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos Danger — A warning sign Danger Asbestos on a fence at site rehabilitated post asbestos contamination

What is Asbestos Abatement?

Asbestos abatement is the process of removing asbestos from a home or other structure. Asbestos removal must be done by trained professionals who are certified with the process, and who have access to specialised equipment. The goal of asbestos abatement is to remove all traces of asbestos so that the home or structure can be safely occupied.

If you encounter asbestos in a job site or home renovation, it’s imperative to call a local business such as Alberta Safety & Environmental Services to assist you in the removal process.

Why is Asbestos Removal Necessary?

Asbestos removal is necessary because exposure to asbestos can lead to serious health problems, including lung cancer. When inhaled, asbestos fibres can lodge themselves in the lungs and cause inflammation and scarring. This can lead to difficulty breathing, coughing, and even death. Asbestos exposure is also linked to mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs or abdomen.

That’s why hazardous materials assessments are vital to the safety and health of any jobsite. Reducing the harm or exposure to asbestos for your employees or customers is imperative and may even save lives.

How is Asbestos Removed?

Asbestos removal must be done by trained and certified professionals using specialised equipment. The first step is to identify all areas where asbestos may be present through a hazardous materials assessment. Once all potential sources of exposure have been identified, the area will be sealed off so that no one can enter except for those who are properly trained and equipped.

Next, the area will be wetted down with water so that dust generated during the removal process can be contained. Finally, the asbestos-containing materials will be removed using negative air pressure machines and HEPA filtered vacuums. Once all the asbestos has been removed, the area will be cleaned and inspected to ensure that no traces of asbestos remain.

Final Thoughts

Asbestos abatement is a necessary process for any home or structure that contains asbestos. Exposure to asbestos can lead to serious health problems, including lung cancer, and the removal must be done by trained and certified professionals using specialised equipment.

If you think you may have been exposed to asbestos, it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible so that you can get treated and avoid any further exposure.

Alberta Safety & Environmental Services (ASE Services) is one of the most reputable providers of Hazardous materials assessment and hygiene inspection services—including asbestos, lead, mould, mercury, and silica detection, as well as industrial hygiene testing for grow ops and other facilities.

With a background in Alberta’s Occupational Health & Safety Commission and professional project management skills, our qualified staff can provide reliable handling of air quality and industrial hygiene from initial industrial inspection all the way to remediation programs. Whether just for a permit, or in-depth air quality control, we can help. Feel free to reach out and secure air quality and hygiene requirements for your building.

Construction sites are full of potential hazards; it is important for builders to be aware of the most common types of hazardous materials so that they can take proper precautions. Speaking with a hazardous materials assessment professional is a helpful step in understanding the dangers and procedures for working on a building site that has contaminated or dangerous materials.

Common Hazardous Materials — Sulfuric acid leak on the floor

To actively protect your business, employees, and operations, it’s vital to know what threats are present on the jobsite – even the ones you can not see. Often, the greatest dangers are invisible to the naked eye – and that’s why hazardous materials assessments are important. By having one conducted, you will ensure the right measures are taken.

The three most common types of hazardous materials found at building sites are asbestos, lead, and mould. Here, we will go into depth about what the threats of these materials are, and how you can best avoid them.

Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely used in construction due to its fire-resistant properties; it is most commonly found in insulation and fireproofing materials, and exposure to asbestos fibres can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer.

Builders should take care to avoid disturbing materials that may contain asbestos. If asbestos-containing materials must be removed, builders should hire a certified asbestos abatement contractor to do the job.

Lead

Lead is a metal that can be harmful if inhaled or ingested, and is often found in paint and plumbing fixtures. Lead poisoning can cause a variety of health problems, including learning disabilities and behaviour problems in children.

Builders should take care to avoid disturbing lead-based paint. If lead-based paint must be removed, builders should hire a certified lead abatement contractor to do the job. In addition, builders should use lead-safe work practices when working with plumbing fixtures that may contain lead.

Mould

Mould is a type of fungus that can grow indoors or outdoors, and is most frequently found in damp or humid areas. Mould spores can cause respiratory problems and other health problems in people who are allergic to them.

Builders should take care to avoid exposing building occupants to mould spores. If mould is present, builders should hire a certified mould remediation contractor to remove it. In addition, builders should address the source of the moisture problem to prevent mould from returning in the future.

Conclusion:

Construction sites are full of potential hazards. It is important for builders to be aware of the most common types of hazardous materials so that they can take proper precautions. The three most common types of hazardous materials found at building sites are asbestos, lead, and mould.

By taking care to avoid disturbing these materials by getting a hazardous materials assessment and hiring certified contractors to remove them when necessary, builders can help protect themselves and the occupants of the buildings they construct from these potentially harmful substances.

Industrial hygiene is a critical aspect of any business that operates in a commercial or industrial setting. There are plenty of ways to monitor or improve your industrial hygiene, whether it’s establishing and enforcing safety practices, or controlling environmental factors.Promoting good housekeeping habits within the workplace is a great place to start when implementing industrial hygiene; following that up with a consistent review is equally important. Here, we will talk about five great tips on keeping your industrial hygiene at an all time high and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.

1. Implement an effective ventilation system

One of the most important ways to improve your industrial hygiene is to implement an effective ventilation system. Ventilation systems help to remove contaminants from the air and improve air quality. A well-designed ventilation system can also help to reduce noise levels and improve worker comfort.

A good ventilation system will also help you control environmental factors; it will help to keep your work environment clean and free of contaminants, including dust, fumes, vapours, and particles, as well as control the temperature and humidity levels as well to minimise the risk of slips, trips, or falls.

2. Use personal protective equipment

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is another important way to improve your industrial hygiene. PPE includes items such as gloves, respirators, and earplugs that can protect workers from exposure to hazardous materials. It is important to select the right type of PPE for the job and to train workers on how to properly use and care for their PPE.

You should also promote good personal hygiene habits with staff. Teach employees how to properly wash their hands and avoid spreading germs, bacteria, and other contaminants around the workplace. You can also monitor industrial hygiene conditions, and periodically review your hygiene program to ensure that it is effective in protecting workers’ health and safety.

3. Use administrative controls

Administrative controls are work practices that are used to minimise employee exposure to hazards. Common administrative controls include workstation design, job rotation, and work breaks. Administrative controls are typically less effective than engineering controls in protecting workers from exposure to hazards.

You’ll also want to manage physical hazards – by eliminating or controlling any physical hazards in your workspace, you’ll actively reduce exposure to harmful noise levels, hazardous materials, and dangerous machinery.

4. Conduct regular safety audits

Safety audits are a key part of any industrial hygiene program. Safety audits help to identify potential hazards in the workplace and ensure that all safety procedures are being followed correctly, and should be conducted regularly by trained personnel.

It’s also important to establish safe work practices and enforce them. Make sure everyone in your workplace knows and follows the safety procedures for the tasks they are assigned. This includes wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE), using safe handling practices, and reporting any unsafe conditions.

5. Have an industrial hygiene assessment

If you are looking for assistance with creating or implementing an industrial hygiene plan, it’s a good idea to speak with a professional. They can help direct you with where to start, and outline what you need to do to improve your current procedures.

By hiring a professional consultant, you can start with a fresh slate and develop a blueprint to use and build upon when improving your industrial hygiene. That way, your commercial work environment will become as safe as possible, now and into the future.

Final thoughts:

We hope this article has helped you understand the basics when it comes to industrial hygiene, and how to improve it. While this blog only outlined five ways to improve your work environment, there are plenty of other reasons to implement a hygiene program at your place of work.

Most of us spend most of our time indoors, so it’s important to make sure that the air we’re breathing is clean and healthy. Unfortunately, indoor air can often be more polluted than outdoor air, due to a variety of factors such as poor ventilation, off-gassing from building materials, and indoor pollution sources such as mould, dust mites, and cleaning chemicals.

Fresh Air — Cassette Air Conditioner on ceiling in modern light office or apartment with green ficus plant leaves. Indoor air quality and clean filters concept

Poor indoor air quality can lead to a variety of health problems such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, respiratory infections, and even cancer. It’s especially dangerous for young children, the elderly, and those with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma or allergies. That’s why it’s so important to do hazardous materials assessments, and monitor indoor air quality. That way, you can take steps to improve it if necessary.

Here, we will dive a little deeper into why indoor air quality matters, and how best to monitor it. Whether you’re in a commercial space, or worried about the air quality in your home, here’s a few things that are important to know about indoor air quality.

The Importance of Indoor Air Quality

Since we spend so much of our time indoors, it’s vital to our health to ensure the air we breathe is pure, clean, and uncontaminated. With dust and pollutants becoming constantly trapped within our living or work spaces, gone unchecked this air can decrease in quality and even make us sick or lead to chronic illness.

Pollutants in our outdoor environments are already at an all time high; that’s why it’s imperative to ensure that your home or work space is clear of chemicals, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogens, and other harmful pollutants.

How to Measure Indoor Air Quality

There are a few different ways to monitor indoor air quality. The most common method is to use an air quality monitor. These devices measure various pollutants in the air and give you a reading that you can use to gauge the overall quality of the air in your home or office. Air quality monitors are relatively inexpensive and easy to use, making them a great option for most people.

Another way to monitor indoor air quality is to have your home or office tested by a professional. This is usually done with a device called an IAQ metre, which measures things like carbon dioxide levels, humidity, temperature, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Professional testing can be more expensive than using an air quality monitor, but it can be helpful if you’re trying to identify a specific problem with your indoor air quality.

Conclusion:

Indoor air quality is important for our health and well-being. There are a few different ways to monitor indoor air quality, including using an air quality monitor, hiring a hazardous materials consultant, or having your home or office tested by a professional. By taking steps to improve indoor air quality, we can help protect ourselves and our families from the harmful effects of pollution.