Avoid health hazards with asbestos roof tiles
Asbestos roof tiles are basically an Asbestos contaminated roofing material. It is made up of natural minerals that are fibrous in nature. The fibrous quality of Asbestos was considered useful in various building materials. For example: pipe insulation, floor tile, and fireproofing. Other roofing products such as shingles, tars, pitch, and roof tiles were also prepared with the help of asbestos. When you hire a qualified roofer or handyman to fix or install a new roof, they should not be putting in asbestos roof tiles.
Dangers of asbestos roof tiles
Asbestos roof tile are extremely dangerous and hazardous to your health because asbestos particles released from the tiles could cause respiratory health hazards like asthma and COPD. These health hazards occur when respirable fibers are released into the air and then inhaled in your body. Ask any plumber, handyman, or contractor who worked in the 1960s and 1970s about asbestos and most will tell you they developed Asbestosis. Materials that contains asbestos are divided into two categories: Friable (able to be reduced to a powder by hand pressure); and non-friable . Usage of Non-Friable asbestos containing materials is not that harmful because they do not release dangerous asbestos fiber into the air. This class of materials does not release fibers unless you impact them mechanically with the help of tools, drills and saws.
Protecting yourself from asbestos
There are five steps you can take to protect yourself while preventing asbestos fiber release during removal of asbestos roof tiles.
Roofing materials must be mixed with non-friable materials (tar, pitch, asphalt). This mixing hardens the asbestos fibers, prevents their release, and avoids inhalation.
The safest methods of removal require only hand made tools like shovels and hammers are used to strip the roofing material from the building.
Asbestos should be made wet before disturbing it.
How the materials are handled during and after removal is crucial.
Workers removing the roofing materials should be trained and certified in accordance with an EPA recognized training program.
Asbestos roof tile removal regulations
According to OSHA regulations all persons working with asbestos containing materials should wear respiratory and other personal protection equipment during the removal process. There are different state and even federal regulations that regulate the removal of asbestos roof tiles and other asbestos containing materials. This is not a project you should take on yourself. Instead, hire a professional handyman for the job - make sure you ask them about their procedures for containing asbestos. Need more help, call us.
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