Asbestos Consulting

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Health Effects From Exposure to Asbestos

Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung disease. The greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of developing harmful health effects.
Disease symptoms may take many years to develop following exposure.
Three of the major health effects associated with asbestos exposure are:

lung cancer
mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining of the lung, chest and the abdomen and heart
asbestosis, a serious progressive, long-term, non-cancer disease of the lungs

For more information on these and other health effects of asbestos exposure see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Cancer Institute.

What is an Asbestos Inspection?

An asbestos inspection is when an individual inspects a building or facility for the presence or location of Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM) or suspected ACM. ACM is defined as material that contains greater than 1% asbestos. Suspected ACM is material that is assumed to be ACM but has not been sampled and analyzed for asbestos content. An asbestos inspection also includes re-examining a building or facility to identify the presence or location of additional, suspected or existing ACM.

When do I need an Asbestos Inspection?

Anytime an owner of a public or commercial building will be disturbing any building materials during the course of a renovation or demolition. The owner is required to have the materials surveyed for asbestos by a licensed asbestos professional. A survey is required regardless of the age of the building. All cities are required to ask for the survey before issuing a permit.

Asbestos Air Monitoring is an initial part of the Asbestos Abatement Process

Background Air Test. Provides data on respirable fibers in air prior to work with or near asbestos-containing materials.
Air Clearance & Certificate of Reoccupation. Inspection and air tests of enclosures required for the removal of certain asbestos-containing materials and the issue of a Certificate of Reoccupation.
Personal Asbestos Monitoring. Can be undertaken for employees working on or near asbestos-containing materials in order to provide information regarding suitable and safe working practices.

ASBESTOS FIBERS

Asbestos minerals incorporated in building materials break down to very fine fibers when disturbed
These fibers can linger in the air for a considerable time. The fibers are so small that they penetrate very deep into the respiratory system; hence, they are referred to as respirable fibers.
Whilst other materials may generate respirable size fibers to some extent, this phenomenon is a particular characteristic of the asbestos minerals.
Airborne respirable fiber concentrations are determined by collecting airborne dust on cellulose nitrate filters and counting the fibers under phase contrast microscopy.

RE-ASSURANCE TESTING

Reassurance asbestos air testing provides information on respirable fiber concentrations in air, and helps to define whether a work area is suitable for occupation.
Reassurance air sampling may follow some very minor work on an asbestos-containing material. Or it may be appropriate when damaged asbestos is found.

BACKGROUND AIR TESTING

Background testing provides baseline information on respirable fibers in a building prior to asbestos work taking place.

PERSONAL EXPOSURE MONITORING

In some instances employers are required to keep records of those who work with asbestos-containing materials.
Part of this record keeping can involve periodically measuring exposure levels of individual workers to respirable fibres.

AIR CLEARANCE AND CERTIFICATE OF REOCCUPATION

A certificate of reoccupation is required on completion of licensed asbestos removal work.
Within the certificate of reoccupation there is an air clearance certificate which defines that the air quality has reached an acceptable standard, and normal activities can resume in the building.

TDSHS Licensed Individual Asbestos Consultant

TDSHS Licensed Asbestos Air Monitoring Technician

TDSHS Licensed Asbestos Project Manager

TDSHS Licensed Asbestos Inspector

TDSHS Licensed Asbestos Management Planner

TDSHS Licensed Mold Assessment Consultant

TDSHS Licensed Lead Risk Assessor

EPA Certified Lead Renovator

OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations & Emergency Response

Louisiana DEQ Licensed Asbestos Inspector

Oklahoma Licensed Asbestos Inspector

Arkansas Licensed Asbestos Inspector

Do Business With A Licensed Consultant Agency

Abacus is a LICENSED Consultant Agency. Other companies can only perform one type of inspection and are not there to help you through the rest of the process. Abacus Environment has 25+ years of experience and can not only perform inspections for you, but can provide you with remedial services throughout the entire process whether the project consists of Mold, Asbestos, or Lead-Based Paint.