Asbestos
Asbestos refers to a group of fibrous minerals used to strengthen and fireproof materials. When inhaled over long periods of time, asbestos fibers become trapped in the body and cause diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.
Asbestos has been used in thousands of building materials in homes, commercial buildings, schools, factories and other property types, that included floor tiles, sheet floorings, pipe insulation, duct insulation, wall systems including drywall, joint compound, plaster, roofing materials, siding materials, glues, mastics, caulks, fire proofing, attic insulation, cements and more. In fact, asbestos was used so widely, that environmental regulatory agencies generally state if a material is not wood, metal, glass or rubber, the only way to conclusively know that it is not asbestos containing, is to have lab results from a certified laboratory that has analyzed samples of the material that were collected by a licensed asbestos inspector showing that the material does not contain asbestos.
Sampling of one or a few materials suspected of being asbestos containing, or of materials within a specific room or portion of a building, is known as limited asbestos sampling. An asbestos survey is when a home or building is inspected in it's entirety for suspect asbestos containing materials. An inspection report is created that will show at a minimum functional spaces (specific rooms or areas), types and quantities of suspect materials, laboratory analysis findings, material classification and friability. By order of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (MIOSHA in Michigan) all public and commercial buildings constructed prior to 1981 where employees may enter, work, or contact building materials, must be inspected for asbestos-containing materials (ACM). This includes any houses, garages, apartments, etc. where employees work and may disturb asbestos. Additionally, ALL buildings scheduled for renovation or demolition (*subject to National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants regulations) must have an asbestos building survey completed prior to the start of the work. This is due to the presence of asbestos above regulated levels found even in some new off the shelf materials and materials in which asbestos use continued throughout the 1980s/1990s/2000s and beyond. Regulatory agencies will not accept, "it's a newer property" as a defense and have been known to fine property owners and contractor's tens of thousands of dollars a day for performing renovation and demolition work that was not notified per NESHAP standards and where no asbestos survey had been performed. Without results documenting which materials are not regulated as asbestos containing, all suspect materials will need to be removed and disposed of as asbestos containing, this can add high and unnecessary costs to a project. Having a high quality asbestos survey performed by an experienced, highly qualified and licensed inspector is the best and most cost effective option to avoid unnecessary removal costs or regulatory fines. You will have documentation of all materials indicating those that are not subject to costly special handling, removal and disposal.
Sasquatch Property Services, LLC offers the following asbestos related services:
*Residential, Commercial and Industrial Asbestos Surveys
*Limited/Selective Sampling
*Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Plans
*Asbestos Air Monitoring
*In conjunction with our preferred partners turn key abatement projects including owner's representation, compliance assurance, documentation, air monitoring, material removal and disposal
