Providing Asbestos Testing in the Boston Metropolitan Area
Whether you're considering a home renovation or concerned about the safety of your existing property, you may want to schedule asbestos testing. Asbestos is a toxic substance that may cause health problems to everyone exposed to it—this is why ENVIROTEST MOLD ASBESTOS INSPECTION offers asbestos testing in the Boston Metropolitan Area.
Asbestos testing consists of taking samples from a building in accordance with federal, state, and local authority and performing bulk sample testing by an accredited laboratory. We provide certified asbestos inspectors, project monitors, management planners, and project designers to help you eliminate this substance and keep you and your loved ones safe from developing serious illnesses.
Asbestos testing consists of taking samples from a building in accordance with federal, state, and local authority and performing bulk sample testing by an accredited laboratory. We provide certified asbestos inspectors, project monitors, management planners, and project designers to help you eliminate this substance and keep you and your loved ones safe from developing serious illnesses.
Why Is Asbestos a Hazard?
Asbestos is made up of tiny strands of fibers that may become airborne when distributed. These fibers are released into the air and may be inhaled into the lungs, causing severe health consequences. Although researchers have yet to identify a "safe amount" of asbestos exposure, we know that the greater and longer the exposure, the higher the chance of acquiring an asbestos-related disease. Some of these health issues include asbestosis, mesothelioma, and cancer.
Asbestos Do's And Don'ts For Homeowners
- Do keep activities to a minimum in areas with damaged material containing asbestos.
- Do take every precaution to avoid damaging asbestos material.
- Do have the removal and major repair done by qualified and trained people handling asbestos. It is highly recommended that asbestos professionals do sampling and minor repairs.
- Don't dust, sweep, or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos.
- Don't saw, sand, scrape, or drill holes in asbestos materials.
- Don't use abrasive pads or brushes on power strippers to strip wax from asbestos flooring.
- Don’t use a power stripper on a dry floor.
- Don't sand or try to level asbestos flooring or its backing. If possible, when asbestos flooring needs replacing, install the new floor covering over it.
- Don't track material that could contain asbestos through the house. If you cannot avoid walking through the area, have it cleaned with a wet mop. Call an asbestos professional if the material is from a damaged area or a large area that must be cleaned.
Asbestos Inspection and Hazard Assessment
A comprehensive survey must be performed to determine the location, quantity, and condition of any suspect materials containing environmental hazards in a facility. Inspectors must first visually examine all of the facility’s spaces. Next, surfaces are tested, and samples are taken to determine the presence of hazards on the given surface. Once the physical survey is complete, a report detailing each material's location, quantity, and condition will be issued, including the initial recommendations and cost estimates for the abatement action.
Project Design and Specifications
Once materials containing hazards have been identified, we can then activate the remedial or maintenance strategies. Project specifications for abatement will be developed based on the potential for disturbance, condition of material, and other client needs. The project-specific design and abatement specifications we prepare ensure our clients that we work efficiently and effectively. Elements of the design/specification process include:
- Prioritization of Material for Abatement
- Abatement Specifications
- Project Drawings
- Bid Documents
- Project Phasing and Scheduling
Project Monitoring and Sampling
ENVIROTEST MOLD ASBESTOS INSPECTION provides on-site staff to monitor contractor activities and collect samples during each phase of the abatement project. Air samples are collected continuously in and around the work area to determine current asbestos concentrations. For further project documentation, contractor compliance and progress are noted for each work shift on daily log sheets. Once the abatement is complete, our team visually inspects the work area for any remaining hazards. Samples of representative areas can then be collected and analyzed to confirm the work area status.
Project Management
For every project, we assign an experienced project manager involved in every step of the abatement process. Our project manager’s purpose is to assist the client in any manner possible to ensure an efficient and effectively managed abatement project. The project manager also visits the site to assist in solving problems or conflicts that may arise, conducts project progress meetings, coordinates all necessary paperwork, manages correspondence, and provides guidance and supervision relevant to the overall project.
Technical Report
Once the abatement is complete, our team will organize the necessary project data and issue a technical report. The final report is the last step in ensuring the completion of a well-documented abatement project. It includes information about each phase of the abatement project and also includes copies of the original field and laboratory data to complete the project documentation.
FAQs About Asbestos
Q: What Is Asbestos?
A: Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals. The three most common types are chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite. Asbestos is commonly used as acoustic insulators, thermal insulators, fireproofing, and other building materials. Asbestos fibers are incredibly strong and have properties that make them resistant to heat. Asbestos is often found in ceiling tiles and pipe and vessel insulation or blown onto structural beams and ceilings, in-floor tiles, linoleum, and mastic.
Q: Why Is Asbestos a Hazard?
A: Asbestos is made up of microscopic bundles of fibers that may become airborne when distributed. These fibers get into the air and may become inhaled into the lungs, where they may cause significant health problems. Researchers still have not determined a "safe level" of exposure, but we know the greater and the longer the exposure, the greater the risk of contracting an asbestos-related disease. Some of these health problems include:
Asbestosis is a lung disease first found in naval shipyard workers. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled, they may become trapped in the lung tissue. The body tries to dissolve the fibers by producing an acid. This acid, due to the chemical resistance of the fiber, does little to damage the fiber but may scar thesurrounding tissue. Eventually, this scarring may become so severe that the lungs cannot function. The latency period (meaning the time it takes for the disease to develop) is often 25-40 years.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura (lung and chest cavity’s outer lining) or the peritoneum (abdominal wall lining). This form of cancer is peculiar because the only known cause is asbestos exposure. The latency period for mesothelioma is often 15-30 years.
Lung cancer is caused by asbestos. The effects are often significantly increased by cigarette smoking by about 50%. Asbestos can also cause cancer of the gastrointestinal tract. The latency period for cancer is often 15-30 years.
Asbestosis is a lung disease first found in naval shipyard workers. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled, they may become trapped in the lung tissue. The body tries to dissolve the fibers by producing an acid. This acid, due to the chemical resistance of the fiber, does little to damage the fiber but may scar thesurrounding tissue. Eventually, this scarring may become so severe that the lungs cannot function. The latency period (meaning the time it takes for the disease to develop) is often 25-40 years.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura (lung and chest cavity’s outer lining) or the peritoneum (abdominal wall lining). This form of cancer is peculiar because the only known cause is asbestos exposure. The latency period for mesothelioma is often 15-30 years.
Lung cancer is caused by asbestos. The effects are often significantly increased by cigarette smoking by about 50%. Asbestos can also cause cancer of the gastrointestinal tract. The latency period for cancer is often 15-30 years.
Q: When Is Asbestos a Hazard?
A: Asbestos is not always an immediate hazard. In fact, if maintained in good condition, it is recommended to be left alone, but periodic surveillance should be performed to monitor its condition. It's only when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed or the materials become damaged that it becomes a hazard. When the materials become damaged, the fibers separate and may then become airborne. The term 'friable' is used in the asbestos industry to denote asbestos that can be converted to dust by hand pressure. 'Non-friable' means asbestos is too hard to be reduced to dust by hand. Non-friable materials, such as transite siding and floor tiles, are not regulated by the state, provided it does not become friable. Non-friable materials can be made friable by machine grinding, sanding, and dry polishing.
Q: How Are Asbestos-Containing Materials Maintained?
A: Friable asbestos can be maintained in place utilizing several techniques. Encapsulation involves applying a thick layer of an encapsulant, much like latex paint, that binds the material's surface together. Sometimes, encapsulation and routine monitoring are not enough to prevent damage. When damage occurs, removal may be the best option.
Q: When Is It Necessary To Remove Asbestos-Containing Materials?
A: Asbestos removal is not required by law. It is only when the material can no longer be maintained in good condition and/or the airborne concentrations of asbestos are measured to be too high, or when the building is to be demolished or renovated, that removal may become the only option. Asbestos can only be removed by licensed asbestos abatement contractors who use licensed workers and supervisors in most states. Many states are stringent in regulating the removal of asbestos-containing materials, and all projects are usually inspected by inspectors from the State Department of Labor a minimum of three times. However, most state regulations do not apply to private residences or multi-family residences of less than four units or any federal property.
Q: When Is It Required To Have a Building Inspection or Survey?
A: New federal regulations require all material that has not been tested to be presumed to contain asbestos. Only inspection and sampling may rebut the presumption required. Federal law requires any building owner renovating or demolishing a building to have their facilities surveyed for asbestos-containing materials. Buildings are not permitted to be demolished if there is asbestos present. Also, public and private schools, K-12, are required by AHERA, the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, to be inspected and have a management plan prepared to be maintained and available for public inspection.
Q: How Is Asbestos Removed?
A: When conducting removal, a licensed contractor must notify the State Department of Labor and either the City-County Health Department or the State Department of Environmental Quality days before the removal.
Upon approval from the DL, workers construct containment, blocking all possible entry and exit points to prevent air from escaping. Containments are maintained under negative pressure, and the air is exhausted through special filters that ensure that the air exhausted is safe. A decontamination unit is built onto the containment, where workers wear disposable suits and respirators and shower before exiting to avoid contaminating the area around the containment by tracking asbestos on their clothes or bodies.
Once the DL approves the containment, the contractor wets down the material, which helps reduce the airborne fiber count. The material is wetted and scraped from the surfaces and collected in specially labeled disposal bags. Once a bag is filled, it is well-sealed, cleaned off, and placed into a sealed second bag. The bags are placed in a load-out chamber to await transfer to a specially lined waste trailer. When all the visible material is removed and bagged, the bags are loaded into the waste trailer, and the DL performs another inspection. (In progress inspections are performed throughout the removal project.) When the DL Inspector is satisfied with the cleanliness of the containment, the contractor sprays the entire area with a 'lock-down,' which seals any remaining fibers, those that are not visible, to the poly. The confinement is removed after the clearance monitoring is completed and the air counts are under acceptable limits. The remaining poly is bagged and disposed of as hazardous waste. Other abatement approaches, such as removing pipe insulation using a glove bag or mini-containment, are done according to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Abatement of Friable Materials guidelines.
Upon approval from the DL, workers construct containment, blocking all possible entry and exit points to prevent air from escaping. Containments are maintained under negative pressure, and the air is exhausted through special filters that ensure that the air exhausted is safe. A decontamination unit is built onto the containment, where workers wear disposable suits and respirators and shower before exiting to avoid contaminating the area around the containment by tracking asbestos on their clothes or bodies.
Once the DL approves the containment, the contractor wets down the material, which helps reduce the airborne fiber count. The material is wetted and scraped from the surfaces and collected in specially labeled disposal bags. Once a bag is filled, it is well-sealed, cleaned off, and placed into a sealed second bag. The bags are placed in a load-out chamber to await transfer to a specially lined waste trailer. When all the visible material is removed and bagged, the bags are loaded into the waste trailer, and the DL performs another inspection. (In progress inspections are performed throughout the removal project.) When the DL Inspector is satisfied with the cleanliness of the containment, the contractor sprays the entire area with a 'lock-down,' which seals any remaining fibers, those that are not visible, to the poly. The confinement is removed after the clearance monitoring is completed and the air counts are under acceptable limits. The remaining poly is bagged and disposed of as hazardous waste. Other abatement approaches, such as removing pipe insulation using a glove bag or mini-containment, are done according to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Abatement of Friable Materials guidelines.
Q: Where Does Asbestos Go After It Is Removed?
A: After removal, the sealed bags are transported by a licensed abatement contractor or a licensed asbestos hauler to an EPA-Approved Landfill, where it is buried. Disposal manifests are required to be sent to DL at the end of each project to ensure the waste arrives at the landfill as needed. Anyone hauling asbestos in most states is required to be licensed as an abatement contractor and carry environmental impairment insurance for a total of $1 million. Under the authority of the EPA, the State Department of Environmental Quality regulates landfills and maintains a list of landfills approved to take asbestos-containing waste.
Q: How Can I Tell if I Have Asbestos in My Building?
A: The only way to determine whether a building material contains asbestos is to hire a certified laboratory that can dispatch a licensed inspector to collect bulk samples. These samples are returned to the lab and examined to identify the contents under a microscope. New OSHA regulations require building owners to presume that any suspect material is asbestos until a laboratory analysis is conducted. Any material that contains less than 1% asbestos is considered non-regulated.
Q: Who Do I Call if I Have a Concern?
A: ENVIROTEST MOLD ASBESTOS INSPECTION can help you with your questions. Please feel free to call us at (781) 329-1133, and we will answer most of your questions. The public may contact the State Department of Labor concerning any possible asbestos problems or to obtain a copy of the rules, licensed contractors list, or become a licensed contractor. Call your state's Asbestos Division for these requests or to get the license of a worker, supervisor, inspector, management planner, or project designer. You may also contact the State Department of Environmental Quality concerning renovation or demolition permits and NESHAPS enforcement.