Why was asbestos so popular?

Due to its flame and high temperature resistance, as well as its imperviousness to electricity and chemical corrosion, asbestos was considered one of the best discoveries the world had ever made. Unfortunately, it’s also highly carcinogenic and incredibly toxic. So much so that despite the fact that Australia produced 75% of the world’s asbestos, a complete ban was put on it, and on asbestos related products, in 2003. If your home was built between 1880 and 1990 it’s sure to have asbestos in it somewhere.

It’s lethal. It’s at its most dangerous when it starts to decay, or when it’s disturbed, as the microscopic fibres which are released are easy to inhale. These fibres then lodge in your soft tissue and are responsible for a number of different cancers.

Which is why, if it is in your home and it’s still in excellent condition, it should be left alone and access to it rigorously restricted. If it’s decaying, it should be removed immediately – but only by qualified experts. Whatever you do, don’t touch it. Even rubbing the material with your fingers will release the fibres. If the material is damaged in any way, call DIG IT and we’ll send round one of our specialists to make an assessment.

Fibre cement corrugated sheets, vinyl floor tiles and pipe lagging, building cladding, electrical insulation and water pipes were all constructed out of asbestos. But it was also used in products like heaters, hairdryers and talcum powder. And that’s the short list. It’s an abhorrent substance as it poisons the soil as well.

We adhere to the Australian code of practise for asbestos removal and we have a Class A asbestos removal licence. When we are called in to remove asbestos the first thing we do is contact WorkCover seven days before we begin the project. The customer must contact Dial B4 You Dig to obtain all the information they can on the location of all the underground pipes and cables. A careful assessment of the site and the state of the asbestos is done. If the asbestos has to be removed we develop specific safety plans to handle any hazard we might encounter. Once we have the stamped approval from WorkCover, as well as the required council approvals, we will start the excavation and demolition. We restrict access to the site while the work is being done and we remove the asbestos according to strict guidelines, dispose of the waste and make sure that the site is left immaculately tidy, clean and most of all, safe for public access, providing you with the necessary clearance certificates.

Asbestos removal usually has to be done if you are planning to demolish a building, even a shed that was constructed when asbestos was at its most popular. We have a restricted demolition licence and offer all aspects of demolition contracting services from sheds, garages, driveways, retaining walls, residential houses, swimming pool demolition and fill-ins, large commercial buildings, warehouses and industrial sites and land clearing.

Call us today on 1800 344 448 for a free, formal quote and professional advice on your demolition or asbestos removal project.

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