The sampling stage of asbestos in your building is the only task that one can best handle DIY even though it is not advised. Asbestos has been clearly found to have adverse health effects that you and your family must watch out for especially if you are living in houses that are old. If you suspect your house to have been built using asbestos, why not take a sample from the area you suspect and submit it to experts for testing? The procedure will not always be easy however the following is a comprehensive guide that documents how the process should flow for the best outcome.
Start with preparations
The first step is evacuating anyone from the vicinity when beginning the procedure. Ensure that no HVAC systems are running in the building and most importantly turn off any fans or causes for wins in the building to avoid disturbing the material you want to collect. Prepare resealable plastic bags that you can use for collection and wear disposable gloves while at it. On the ground beneath you, prepare a plastic drop sheet to collect any loose asbestos that may fall down during the process and most ideally protect yourself with Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) before commencing the process.
Collect the sample
Starts by wetting the material you are about to collect using water mixed with detergent before taking the sample. You can use Pliers to cut the sample from the area on which it exists and place it into a resealable bag. Bag the resealable bag in other bag for improved safety and tightly seal it to prevent accidental outlet of its contents. You then need to use duct tape to improve the strength of the bag before finishing up your procedure. This is ideal to make sure that the package is safe while in transit to the laboratories for further testing out before you are given the report.
Clean up thoroughly
Wrap the plastic drop sheet well and any other materials which were used in the process for instance disposable gloves and ready them for disposal. You should follow up with thorough cleaning of the cleaning supplies with dump rag which should be disposed immediately after. Ensure you avoid removing your RPE during the cleaning to remove any chances of breathing in the asbestos as it may have adverse effects on your health. You should then dispose the disposable according to state regulations and follow up with ideal decontamination procedures like personal cleaning.
Package the sample and send
Confirm whether you have double bagged the sample before indicating a date, location and warning of asbestos presence before you send. You should send the package NATA-accredited labs or use the local ones in your region that can give you the test results back in a short time. Supposing the results come back positive, it is then that you can think of hiring asbestos survey London to advise you further or oversee the removal of asbestos from your building or compound.
