Asbestos Inspections
Asbestos Testing
Why do I need an asbestos inspection?
It is estimated that 1/3 of all homes built in Australia contain asbestos. It was used in more than 3000 different products including fibro, flue pipes, drains, roofs, gutters, brakes, clutches and gaskets.
Asbestos becomes a health risk when its fibres are released into the air and breathed in. Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
According to Safework Australia 701 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year.
If you are planning to renovate or do maintenance on your existing home you should make sure there are no asbestos present before you start to avoid serious health risk to yourself and your family.
Maybe you are thinking of buying a new home as your main home or an investment property. You need to know if asbestos is present as the cost to remediate if it is in an unsafe condition could be substantial and you cannot expose your family or tenants to asbestos health risk.
If you own commercial property you should know your responsibilities under the law. The first step is to know if asbestos is present and then by law you are obliged to manage the risk associated with asbestos, which involves:
- identifying asbestos and asbestos containing material at the workplace and recording this in an asbestos register
- assessing the risk of exposure to airborne asbestos
- eliminating or minimising the risks associated with asbestos by implementing control measures
- reviewing control measures to make sure they are effective
- have an asbestos management plan in place
Asbestos is regulated by several agencies, including WorkSafe, Department of Environment Regulation and Department of Health
Penalties apply for not complying with these regulations. As of January 2017, penalties of up to $10,000 (for individuals) can be imposed if a person is convicted of an offence against the regulations.
Jim’s Building Inspections – Asbestos Testing in Perth
Jim’s Building Inspections Perth offer you peace of mind when it comes to asbestos testing. We all know that the presence of asbestos in any building is dangerous, but with more than 3,000 products containing this dangerous mineral, how can you be sure that your home or business is safe?
A third of all homes built in Australia contain asbestos. Although the use of asbestos in houses stopped in 1990, it is impossible to tell whether any area of your home has been made using asbestos by just looking – which is where Jim’s Building Inspections Perth can help.
Before you decide whether you need asbestos testing in Perth, it is worth understanding just what the damage could be to your health from this material.
Why is Asbestos Bad?
When asbestos was used, it was hailed as a wonder material. With superior insulating properties, it was commonly used in roofing, gutters, brakes, gaskets, as sheets and in concrete.
There is evidence of asbestos being used in the ancient world, with Egyptian mummies wrapped in asbestos cloth to prevent deterioration – and Greeks and Romans used asbestos in weaving too. Cloths woven from asbestos were not destroyed in fires, so their use in weaponry like trebuchets is well documented. The Industrial Revolution saw asbestos becoming more commonly used in production for a myriad of purposes – resistant as it is to heat, water and electricity.
The health risk of asbestos comes from breathing in the fibres. Lung problems include asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma – according to Safework Australia, 701 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. Asbestos mines have been the epicentre of lung problems throughout Australia – but builders and other construction workers have suffered too.
Asbestos is most dangerous when disturbed – so any maintenance or renovations that you complete on your property could endanger your health and the health of your family – which is why getting an asbestos report in Perth from Jim’s could potentially save your life.
Knowing about the presence of asbestos in your home means that you can prepare for the costs to remediate if unsafe – and the only way to know for sure is through sample testing at a laboratory.
Jim’s Building Inspections Perth have certified asbestos inspectors that will come to your home, make visual checks, and send samples off to a NATA-certified lab to find out whether asbestos is present. As part of your report, we will give you some advice about safe asbestos management and suggested next steps for safe removal.
Asbestos in Commercial Buildings.
Building owners are responsible under law to ensure the safety of occupiers – this means that any asbestos-containing materials need to be recorded, and the risk of any asbestos fibres becoming airborne must be mitigated.
The regulations around control measures and asbestos management come from Worksafe, the Department of Environmental Regulations and the Department of Health, and strong financial penalties apply for non-compliance – so getting a trusted, reliable, and reputable inspector in to assess the building could potentially save you thousands of dollars.
Choose Jim’s Building Inspections Perth for your Asbestos Testing
Trust our experts to help you be safe from asbestos in your home or business with fast, reliable asbestos testing in Perth from Jim’s Building Inspections Perth. Contact us today and arrange your inspection.
Some of the other Western Australia suburbs we service are:
Our reports include:
Lab analysis report
Records of location
Records of each area condition
Photographic report
Advice regarding asbestos management
Is your property built before 1990?
If we suspect any asbestos, we will take a sample and send it off to a NATA certified laboratory for confirmation. We won’t take the risk, neither should you.
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