Your Guide to Commercial Asbestos Abatement

If you’ve learned that there is asbestos present at your business location (or maybe you just suspect that there is) don’t panic! While asbestos is a dangerous material that requires removal and/or encapsulation by trained and licensed specialists, the asbestos abatement process is actually fairly simple. 

At Clean Environmental Group, we make Atlanta asbestos abatement and other environmental services as efficient as possible. Keep reading to learn what to expect during asbestos abatement, or give us a call at 678-807-7900 for more information.

What Is the Asbestos Abatement Process Like?

Every project is different, but the overall process of removing asbestos looks like this: 

Assessing the Situation

Just like any renovation or construction project, it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you start! Of course, the stakes with asbestos are a lot higher, so the inspection and discovery step is even more important.  

We look at a few factors when assessing potential asbestos projects. 

• Are harmful materials present, like asbestos or lead paint? Asbestos is extremely common in buildings built between the late 1800s and the mid-1980s, so if your business is located in an old or historic building, asbestos is a primary environmental concern. 
• What level and type of risk does the hazardous material pose? Will renovation or repairs disturb the asbestos? Does it pose a risk to staff or customers currently? 
• How does it need to be addressed? What percent of the building or space will be affected?

Preparing Safety Measures

After assessing the extent of the asbestos removal project, we begin prep work. Asbestos is most dangerous when it is “friable,” or easily crumbled/disintegrated. The microsopically fine fibers of asbestos can be breathed in if asbestos-containing ceilings, insulation, or other building materials are disturbed, and it’s when those tiny fibers lodge in the lungs or other tissues that serious health problems like mesothelioma can result.   

In order to encapsulate or remove asbestos, we will need to seal the project area off. Using specialized barrier materials, we create a protective division between the work area and the rest of the business. Only our trained technicians with protective gear will be able to enter the area.

Asbestos Removal or Encapsulation

There are two main ways to make a building safe from asbestos: 

• Removing the asbestos-containing materials entirely. 
• Encapsulating the asbestos-containing materials, effectively sealing them so that no fibers can escape. 

Whether removal or encapsulation is necessary will depend on the location and type of materials. Our highly-trained team will make that determination after the assessment mentioned previously.  

Safety Testing

Once the asbestos abatement service is complete, there’s one more step: Testing. This final test lets you know that your asbestos problem is dealt with, so you can enjoy your business environment in peace. 

If you’re looking for an Atlanta asbestos removal company that specializes in commercial settings, give us a call! You can also contact us online to get a free estimate.