How to Identify & Remove Asbestos in Linoleum Flooring

 

Asbestos has been used, primarily in older buildings, in fireproof vinyl, linoleum floor, roofing or ceiling tiles, and sheeting.

In this article, you will be enlightened on how to identify and handle asbestos and even get rid of asbestos-containing materials in linoleum flooring. By reading the discussions below, you will also explore a complete menu list of proper things to do and learn more on how to search for the best company or professionals who can help you with asbestos removal.

Learning What Asbestos Is

Asbestos is a cluster of natural minerals which could be separated into fibres. This mineral found in buildings is durable enough, which are also known for their fire, heat, and electricity or fire-retardant characteristics.

Asbestos-containing materials may cause fatal diseases. Undisturbed asbestos has no direct dangers or risks to occupational health; however, this can be harmful if the fibres are released or inhaled, especially if there’s poor insulation in the area.

Why There’s a Need for Asbestos Testing and Asbestos Abatement?

Asbestos-related illnesses such as mesothelioma and lung cancer are mainly caused by the fibres of asbestos, which are inhaled and housed in your lungs. So, prior to initiating repairs on building materials, construction, demolition, and improvements on the structures of the buildings, it is advisable to test for asbestos first to check if the area may contain asbestos.

Asbestos might be present in vermiculite insulation, paint, roof shingles, siding, and any other various types of household materials in residential or commercial. To completely check, identify, and have an asbestos removal, hiring a professional one from your most trusted company is a must.

Asbestos Removal in Vinyl and Linoleum Flooring

In general, asbestos materials are not that harmful if the asbestos is in a non-friable state and sealed away. The problem may only occur if there’s asbestos exposure. A possible risk with worn or damaged ceiling tiles is that cracks may exist which asbestos fibres could move. If the building has friable asbestos, the occupants may be at risk since they can breathe the asbestos.

To prevent this kind of problem, proper maintenance on tiles is needed. Make sure that there’s no crack or break on the flooring. However, in some sites or construction buildings like the industrial types, this is not realistic. It’s because heavy vehicles or machinery can damage the flooring materials of the building.

With this, there’s an act pertaining to health and safety in Ontario, Canada, that requires the building owner to continuously document the materials containing asbestos and warn the occupants if ever there’s a risk of exposure for the asbestos fibres and asbestos waste.

If there are some broken tile floors and the building areas contain asbestos, then the owner may need to consider hiring professionals who can help them with the asbestos removal or asbestos abatement. With their knowledge and expertise, they can easily identify an area where asbestos is present. Hence, they effectively determine materials that may contain asbestos in the building areas.

Handling asbestos masting, linoleum flooring, and the likes would usually take a large area of the surface area of the building. You can have over 100 sq. ft. of asbestos, setting you up for a Type-3 project on asbestos abatement.

Asbestos abatement or removal of masting on the tile floors would also be a great challenge, especially if the adhesives used on the tiles contain asbestos. So, the procedure of asbestos removal on tiles can be more difficult. Furthermore, if you are not careful on the asbestos removal processes, your health and safety may be compromised because you may be exposed to asbestos fibres.

When to Contact Contractor and Professionals for Asbestos Abatement in Your Workplace

Asbestos removal or abatement of the asbestos-containing materials may be categorized into 3 types:

  1. Type 1: 1-10 sq.ft.
  2. Type 2: 11-100 sq.ft.
  3. Type 3: 100+ sq.ft.

Under the federal disposal regulations of asbestos materials in Ontario, there’s a need to become a certified service provider to safely remove any material, equipment, or resources over the Type 2 category.

It’s highly recommended to look for a professional service provider when getting rid of the materials containing asbestos. It’s because there are some important steps that need to be done to ensure the safety of the workers in a work area or to make sure that the homeowners may not experience some diseases like mesothelioma or lung cancer.

Before conducting asbestos abatement procedures, your hired professional company will make sure that air  cannot escape and will use HEPA filters for environmental safety.

Hire Professional Contractors for Asbestos Abatement Under Type 3 Category

Asbestos removal under Type 3 should not be managed by anyone who doesn’t have proper training in asbestos abatement procedures. It’s because they may compromise the occupational safety of many other workers, in the workplace.

Landlords, homeowners, or developers of a building should test the building before demolition or repairs. Asbestos testing may be of great help in your site, workplace, or in any work area since the health and safety of the people are your top priority.

Understanding the Disposal Regulations and Services for Occupational Health and Safety

There are specific regulations pertaining to asbestos abatement or getting rid of asbestos materials or waste.

A Designated Substance Survey or DDS must be conducted by a qualified individual to reduce the risk of exposure to asbestos fibres, causing health problems like mesothelioma or lung cancer. Perhaps you may want to contact an environmental consultant who can help you get rid of asbestos-containing materials and advise on how to handle asbestos abatement or removal.

You can search for environmental consultants online. Environmental Abatement Council of Canada or EACO has a complete list of professional company consultants.

The regulation dictates how to safely and properly do the DDS. It will also provide information on:

  • how many asbestos samples to get/take
  • how asbestos gets tested
  • how to determine designated material containing asbestos in the building

After DDS and you finally identified the material containing asbestos. Anybody who will perform the renovation or demolition services will not be at risk of asbestos exposure without compromising their health and safety.

Different Related Services in Removing Asbestos

Asbestos removal is not only limited to specific services. In fact, there are lots of related services that you may expect from the service contractors. Some of these include:

  • Air monitoring to ensure better air insulation and would prevent the occurrence of vermiculite
  • Testing of asbestos to avoid a possible hazard when doing some renovations, repairs, and improvements in roofing and street
  • Asbestos abatement to limit the exposure of asbestos, causing health problems like mesothelioma
  • Removal clearance to make sure that asbestos was successfully removed, and there is now proper insulation of air, ensuring health precautions