Ensuring Safety in Demolition Projects with Consultex

When it comes time to go out with the old and in with the new, demolition is the way to go. Demolition projects are pivotal for urban development, and as development is growing to revitalise communities and repurpose existing infrastructure, more and more crews will be handling demolitions.

While most people might think that explosives and falling debris are the most present danger on-site, there’s a hidden danger lurking in the dust and rubble: asbestos.

Once a widely-used building material, asbestos is now known to pose severe health risks to demolition crews who aren’t aware of its presence. In New Zealand, safety regulations around asbestos are extensive to keep everyone on-site safe. Therefore, surveying for demolition is vital.

Read on as we explore the dangers of asbestos in demolition and how asbestos surveys play a crucial role in keeping your team safe.

Understanding the Threat: Asbestos in Demolition

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre discovered many decades ago. It’s known for its natural fire-resistant properties, and it also happens to be very lightweight, which means it was quickly adopted as a construction material around the world. Rather than being used in its raw form, asbestos was usually adapted into asbestos-containing materials like drywall, insulation, and even popcorn ceilings.

Unfortunately, it was discovered in the 1980s that asbestos could flake off into microscopic fibres. When inhaled, that can lead to serious health conditions like lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.

The Importance of Asbestos Surveys

Since asbestos ended up in so many buildings around New Zealand before it was banned, it’s difficult to know if you’re dealing with it or not. Asbestos is most dangerous when disturbed, as this allows the fibres to flake away into the air. This means that demolition crews can be vulnerable to asbestos if the area is not properly surveyed.

Before any demolition project commences in New Zealand, it’s important to conduct rigorous asbestos surveys. 

This is something we do at Consultex: inspect the property for ACMs, assess the condition and location of these materials, and determine the right management plan to minimise harm. This falls under the umbrella of building demolition services in NZ and is widely recognised as best practice within the construction industry.

Asbestos surveyors like the ones from Consultex review the site’s plans and the physical building prior to demolition, earmarking potential ACMs throughout the structure. This information is critical, allowing contractors to handle these materials properly with our recommendations.

There’s a metric we call ‘friability’, which is the likelihood that an ACM is going to release dangerous fibres into the air upon demolition. Often, we’ll take samples of the ACMs to determine how friable the asbestos is, ensuring we can give well-founded recommendations for how to mitigate any harm.

Safety Protocols in Demolition

As part of our demolition survey, if we identify any friable ACMs on-site, we’ll recommend ways to keep you and your workers safe.

Here are some key safety measures that we might recommend in our detailed survey of the site:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

We often recommend that demolition crews wear appropriate PPE. This can look like respirators equipped with HEPA filters, protective clothing, and eye protection to stop the fibres from making their way into workers’ systems.

Training and Education

Many workers have never encountered asbestos before, which means they must undergo comprehensive asbestos awareness training. This training not only equips them with awareness of on-site asbestos but also gives them everything they need to work safely with it.

Engineering Controls

Demolition crews can implement some simple controls, like wetting down surfaces and using HEPA-filtered vacuum systems during and after demolition. This reduces the distance the asbestos fibres go when released, minimising the fibre count in the air.

On-Site Monitoring and Air Sampling

Finally, we often recommend the inclusion of on-site monitoring protocols while working with ACMs on a demolition site. In particular, we recommend air filtering and sampling as demolition is ongoing to determine how many fibres are being released into the air. If the fibre count exceeds a certain level, this tells us that work needs to cease, and further control measures must be put in place before work continues.

Our role is to ensure your crew’s safety during demolition projects, and an IANZ-accredited laboratory analyses all our samples to ensure that all results are accurate. Asbestos can be hidden anywhere in a building, which is why we must ensure all areas have been carefully inspected before works commence.

By contracting Consultex, you can ensure all asbestos on your demolition site is detected, and comprehensive safety measures are put in place. While they are not always legally required, it’s nationally recognised best practice to keep your crew and the surrounding members of the public safe.

Demolish with confidence thanks to Consultex

Ready to safely demolish the building on your site? Discover how our expert surveying ensures safety and compliance in demolition projects.

We’re on hand to help you survey prior to the demolition, delivering a detailed report with recommended control measures to ensure your team knows exactly how to handle the presence of asbestos. Prior to beginning demolition work, get in touch for your consultation today!

Preventing Mould Growth in Your Property

If you’ve ever spotted mould in your property, you know the sense of dread that comes along with it. New Zealand is a humid, rainy, fairly cold country, which means that mould is a common problem for many property owners.

Mould can be daunting to deal with, but it is extremely hazardous if left to spread unchecked. Not only can mould damage your building’s structure, but it can also pose serious health risks to anyone in the building.

The name of the game when preventing mould growth is proactivity. As a property owner, you can do many things to mitigate mould growth and maintain a healthy environment for everyone in your building.

In this post, we’re reviewing everything you need to know about implementing mould prevention strategies. Read on as we cover the health issues associated with mould and our top recommendations for proactive strategies.

Breaking Down Mould: Understanding the Cause and Effect

Before discussing mould prevention strategies, we must first understand mould and how it thrives in a property. Mould is a type of fungus. Rather than growing like a plant, it reproduces through floating spores that latch onto porous surfaces and grow into them. These surfaces can include walls, ceilings, carpets, and furniture.

One of the most important things to know about mould is that it thrives in damp, humid environments. If, for example, your property recently experienced water damage or has ongoing leaks, this can trigger a mould infestation.

Unfortunately, mould does more than harm the aesthetics of your home. Mould can be harmful to your health if left untreated. Some of these health issues include:

•       Triggering allergic reactions
•       Exacerbating asthma symptoms
•       Causing respiratory infections
•       Chronic lung diseases from long-term exposure

Mould Prevention Strategies for Property Owners

As we mentioned, the number one way to prevent mould from growing on your property is to be proactive. With that in mind, there are several strategies you can use to keep your property dry, clean, and mould-free.

Maintain Proper Ventilation

Keeping your property ventilated is crucial for preventing mould growth. Damp rooms in your home or business breed mould, especially in the rainy season. This means airing out bathrooms, kitchens, and other high-moisture areas using open windows or—preferably—exhaust fans.

This reduces humidity and encourages air circulation, discouraging mould from latching and thriving.

Address Water Leaks Quickly

Water leaks are one of the most common triggers for mould growth. If you notice a water leak on your property, it’s vital to address it quickly and dry the resulting water damage. Even if you repair the leak, leaving the water damage as-is will quickly invite mould into your property.

Ensure Your Property is Properly Insulated

Funnily enough, your insulation can affect whether mould ends up on your property. One of the best long-term mould prevention strategies is to ensure that your property is adequately insulated to prevent significant temperature differentials.

Poor insulation can contribute to condensation buildup, which immediately increases indoor humidity. This provides the perfect environment for mould growth, most commonly afflicting attics, basements, and exterior walls.

Regular Cleaning and Maintenance

Finally, one of the most important things you can do to prevent mould from growing on your property is to keep it as clean as possible. Mould can build up in corners and on porous surfaces like window sills, countertops, and ceiling corners. Establishing a regular cleaning routine ensures mould won’t build up and spread.

We recommend using mould-inhibiting cleaners to kill any spores you find, helping to prevent regrowth.

Get the Professionals Involved

If you have a large mould outbreak or you’re unsure about how to manage a recurring mould problem, this is when it’s helpful to get in touch with the professionals in mould assessment. At Consultex, we use state-of-the-art equipment to conduct mould assessments that help property owners eradicate mould once and for all.

Our on-site team offers mould investigations and testing to confirm or deny the presence of mould on your property, complete with a full report on its occurrence. This includes the type of mould found, the likely causes, and our recommendations for full remediation. We can also connect you with our network of expert mould eradication companies, ensuring the job is done right.

Following the mould removal, we also offer post-remediation services to confirm all the spores are gone. We can assess your property’s air and swab surfaces, ensuring there are no lingering spores to recontaminate the property.

We understand how serious mould can be, which is why we offer investigations, testing, and post-remediation assessments to ensure it has a lesser chance of recurring. Keep yourself and the other occupants of your property safe while ensuring its longevity. With the right proactive mould prevention strategies, you’ll never have to deal with mould again.

Access professional mould prevention strategies from an accredited laboratory.

Ready to safeguard your property from mould? Contact us today to discover the best mould prevention strategies and ensure a healthier, mould-free living environment.

Showcasing Projects with Aerial Photography

Whether it’s construction, real estate, urban planning, or environmental monitoring, one thing is true: a picture is worth a thousand words. Static images tend to fall short of truly capturing a project’s essence, coming at it from a single perspective. That’s where something like aerial photography and drone footage can make all the difference.

Aerial photography and videography is when a high-quality camera is attached to a drone. The drone is controlled by a skilled operator on the ground, allowing them to capture stills and video of any spot on your property. At Consultex, our team uses drone footage for a variety of applications. From aerial inspections for HAZMAT projects to artistic reels cataloguing the various stages of a construction project, there are so many ways to use this versatile tool.

In this blog post, we’re diving into some of the best ways you can use drone footage to showcase your project. Dig a little deeper and gain some inspiration from the team at Consultex.

Inspect Every Piece of Your Landscape

One of aerial photography’s biggest advantages is its ability to give you an uninterrupted view of every square metre of land. Our drones are equipped with high-resolution cameras to capture sweeping vistas and intricate details that might otherwise be missed.

The power of this angle is in its ability to see everything. From a real estate perspective, showcasing both the surrounding environment and the property itself is crucial. From a construction point of view, this is powerful for surveying a site before work begins to find any challenges that must first be overcome.

It comes down to accessibility. If a drone can get to the spot, you’ll be able to clearly see it without investing the time and energy it would otherwise take to scan the entire piece of land manually.

Tracking Your Project’s Progress

When it comes to construction and infrastructure development, it’s important that you can monitor your project’s progress. Usually, this involves time-consuming site visits, manual inspections, and missed details. But with drone footage, these large-scale inspections are a breeze.

Being able to see your project from a new angle, finding the ‘big picture’ as it were, enables you to catch things that you otherwise might have missed in your inspection. Help prevent your project from going over the deadline, keep everything looking seamless, and identify problems that need to be fixed quickly with the power of aerial photography.

Handle Aerial HAZMAT Inspections Effortlessly

HAZMAT incidents are dangerous by nature. They usually present as a chemical or biological contaminant that could present a threat to anyone who comes on-site. This makes these types of incidents very difficult (and even dangerous) to investigate thoroughly. A sub-par inspection is not an option, but sending inspectors into a potentially dangerous site with only PPE is not always possible.

That’s where aerial inspections for HAZMAT come in. Using drones, our team can capture footage of your project site before, during, or after an incident. This puts a safe distance between the inspector and the contaminant while still allowing us to get a good visual of what’s happening. The better we understand what’s happened, the better we can recommend the safest course of action.

Enhanced Marketing and Presentation

Finally, nothing says ‘polished’ like an aerial view of your project. Aerial drone footage is a powerful marketing tool applicable in a variety of industries. Whether you’re creating promotional videos for real estate listings or showcasing completed projects as part of a construction portfolio, drone footage is a dynamic way to call attention to the quality of the work.

While traditional photography can be effective, it simply can’t match the power of a bird’s-eye view. Looking to satisfy clients or stakeholders with your project’s progress? These immersive aerial views will do all that and more. Using this tool, you can effectively communicate your project’s scale, scope, and unique features to create a competitive edge.

At the end of the day, aerial photography and videography are all about elevating how you show off your project. From a bird’ s-eye view, your investors, shareholders, clients, and target audience will be captivated by the quality of what you’re creating. Whether you’re looking for a big-picture view of a site before beginning construction, inspecting a HAZMAT incident from the air, or creating marketing collateral, there are plenty of great ways to use drone footage.

The key? Get in touch with a team that makes capturing that footage a breeze. This is a powerful way to communicate value, but the results will only be as good as the person operating the drone. That’s why reaching out to a specialist is vital, ensuring you get the most bang for your buck.

Truly elevate your project with Consultex.

Capture projects from a new perspective. Consultex uses drones to provide detailed footage of your property’s landscape, whether for aerial inspections or construction process videos.

Curious about aerial inspections for HAZMAT projects? Reach out to the experts at Consultex to get started. 

Crafting Effective Asbestos Management Plans: The Consultex Guide

It’s vital to get things right when it comes to managing asbestos in your building. This hazardous material can seriously jeopardise the health of you and your employees, as well as that of any workers who need to do on-site renovations.

Asbestos management plans are staple workplace documents. According to the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, workplaces must have at least one copy on hand at all times. But the big question is: How do you construct one?

At Consultex, asbestos management is our speciality. Read on to learn more about a workplace’s obligations regarding this cornerstone document and how the Consultex team drives the creation of one.

The Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016

In the past, asbestos was used all over New Zealand as a fire-resistant, lightweight building material. However, as soon as it was discovered that asbestos was dangerous to public health in the 1980s, the construction industry and the New Zealand government began to phase it out. Despite this, the unfortunate reality is that many buildings were constructed with either raw asbestos or asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).

Nowadays, asbestos legislation is present and accounted for in nationwide health and safety policies. Every workplace is required, by New Zealand law, to prepare an asbestos management plan for all sites where work is taking place. This was laid out as part of the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations of 2016, obligating persons conducting business (PCBUs) to have these plans ready for their workplaces.

The Role of an Asbestos Management Plan

The question is, what role does an asbestos management plan actually play in keeping workplaces safe? In short, it’s a pre-emptive measure to root out the presence of any asbestos in a building, including in the soil. If asbestos is identified, the plan also lays out how it will be managed, which will vary according to the type, amount, and location.

One of the most important things a plan does is let incoming workers know what they need to be careful of. If there are areas in the business where asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are present, those areas should be carefully treated using professionally supported techniques to keep everyone safe. This might involve having monitoring systems in place or wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

These plans play a major role in providing recommendations and control measures from a team like Consultex, which specialises in asbestos removal.

What We Include in Our Asbestos Management Plans

Our role as asbestos management experts is to develop a comprehensive, tailored Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) for your site. It’s vital that we include as much accurate information as possible in the plan, using those insights as the foundation for removal or management recommendations.

When constructing AMPs for employers, we work with them to conduct an on-site survey. This includes an in-person consultation, a survey of your premises, and sampling or testing as recommended by our crew. Once done, we’ll assemble a detailed report with the following information:

• Identification

Not only do we identify whether or not asbestos is present, but we also identify where it is on-site. Where applicable, we also identify quantities and types of asbestos to facilitate better management.

• Management

We create recommendations for control measures around the identified asbestos, including safe work procedures.

• Induction

A process to induct incoming contractors and workers into the condition of the building, including considerations for working around asbestos.

• Emergency

Responding to emergencies appropriately is a major part of carrying out asbestos-related activities, so the AMP contains detailed emergency procedures. This includes allocating roles and responsibilities for workers in case exposure occurs.

• Training and health monitoring

Managing asbestos is a long-term game, requiring ongoing training and health monitoring to ensure minimal exposure risk. The watchword here is consistency, which is why documenting these aspects is vital.

The most important thing when dealing with potential asbestos in your building is to be proactive. It can be easy to leave your site untested, unmanaged, and unplanned. However, it’s crucial to do your due diligence and meet your obligations under the regulations with something as insidious as asbestos.

After all, the long-term health effects of asbestos have a long latency period. In other words, it’s very difficult to track whether health issues have come from asbestos exposure or not.

Luckily, crafting this plan for your business doesn’t have to be a scary or difficult process. With experienced asbestos management professionals on your side, creating an asbestos management plan can be rewarding.

Grant yourself peace of mind by knowing you’re compliant with the law while keeping your workplace safe.

Stay safe and compliant with a professional asbestos management plan.

At Consultex, we provide businesses with the asbestos management plans they need to stay compliant and – most importantly – safe. From identifying asbestos materials present on-site to creating specific documentation for your process, we’re at your side every step of the way.

Get in touch with Consultex Environmental to begin creating your asbestos management plan.

Efficient Asbestos Removal with Consultex

When it comes to asbestos removal in NZ, there are a lot of moving parts. Many New Zealand homes and premises used asbestos as part of their construction back in the 1970s and 1980s, meaning there are many modern buildings with this dangerous substance hidden in their structures. Asbestos generally isn’t used in its raw form; instead, it appears to be incorporated into different materials to make them fire-resistant. Which means it can be tough to spot without professional help.

In this blog post, we’ll be digging deeper into what professional asbestos removal services really are. We’ll walk through the asbestos removal process in stages, highlighting how hiring a professional team to facilitate your asbestos removal will save your time, stress levels, and the health of your crew.

Before Your Asbestos Removal

Before work begins, it’s vital to conduct a survey to understand where the asbestos is, what kind of it is, and which safety measures might be taken to contain it. Thanks to our history with this dangerous material, New Zealand boasts robust Health and Safety At Work Regulations pertaining to asbestos. All works that involve asbestos removal or remediation must align with these rules to ensure the safety of everyone involved and any future inhabitants of the building.

There are three key ways the Consultex team will help prior to beginning the removal of any asbestos:

• Review of contractor’s Asbestos Removal Control Plan (ARCP). The ARCP includes details of how the asbestos removal will be carried out, including the contractor’s chosen method and the tools they will need, on top of necessary PPE. The Consultex team will review the plan to ensure it’s up to scratch and offer supplementary advice.
• Conduct site liaison meetings with removal contractors. While we don’t handle the removal ourselves, our on-site team of experts will meet with your removal contractors to carefully analyse and mitigate hazards before work commences. This includes working with the contractors to make a plan if unexpected hazards arise.
• Review of removal pricing and methodology. We will also weigh in on the contractor’s chosen methodology, as different Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) have different protocols for safe removal. On top of that, we’ll offer our insights on pricing to help you stay on budget.

During Your Asbestos Removal

The most dangerous part of this process is during asbestos removal when flakes of this harmful material can make their way into the air. Asbestos is fibrous and crystalline, even when incorporated into ACMs. If ACMs are disturbed and proper measures aren’t in place, this can result in the fibres ending up in the air.

From there, they can be inhaled into workers’ respiratory systems, leading to respiratory issues and potentially cancer from long-term exposure. With all this danger present, it’s important to have experts on-site who can help mitigate the risk while removal is happening. That’s where the Consultex team comes in.

We supervise the removal works, ensuring everyone present is properly protected and using appropriate removal methods for each given ACM. On top of that, we work with you to install equipment for asbestos air monitoring during the removal works.

By sampling the air, we’re able to test the condition of the on-site air for the presence of asbestos. We can count the fibres and determine the type of asbestos, allowing us to advise you on the most up-to-date information your crew needs to stay safe.

After Your Asbestos Removal

Even after the main ACMs are removed from a building or site, there is a potential that asbestos residue has been left behind. Demolitions and removals are destructive and disruptive, introducing the possibility that asbestos has flaked off into the environment while your workers are none-the-wiser.

To prevent that, once the asbestos and ACMs are safely off-site, our team will go in to do what we call a clearance inspection. In essence, this is a final survey of the area using all the asbestos testing tools at our disposal. We will determine, once and for all if the asbestos has been safely removed from the area.

This allows you to do further cleanup if there is asbestos residue left behind or make a plan if there is more asbestos than first estimated.

All samples collected by our team throughout the entire process are analysed by an IANZ-accredited laboratory that staffs an experienced team. The results we receive are carefully compiled into our management survey report, alongside a material assessment score and recommendations for ongoing management of the site and its contents.

In short, our goal is to ensure that you and your crew are safe every step of the way. Asbestos removal in NZ is a tough job, but it’s easier when you have all the information you need. With the team from Consultex at your right hand, you’ll never be flying blind again.

Contact Consultex for professional asbestos removal services.

Considering asbestos removal in NZ? Make your environment asbestos-free with confidence! Our team is on hand to help you with every step of the asbestos removal process.

Contact Consultex today and experience efficient asbestos removal backed by expertise and safety.

A Guide to Protecting Against Welding Fumes – From the Experts

Welding is a crucial process for industrial settings across the board, allowing teams to maintain structures, machinery, and various other components that might otherwise require disposal. It’s a specialised process that takes years to master, including safety aspects.

When sparks fly, there’s another kind of hazard that doesn’t always get the attention it should: the welding fumes. Airborne particles from welding pose a more than significant health risk to welders and anyone else on-site, but they often go unmanaged because they’re difficult to see or protect against.

At Consultex, we make it our job to protect against unseen hazards. That’s why we’ve created a simple guide to investigate the health risks of welding fumes. In this post, come with us as we explore the health risks of welding fumes and best practices for industrial welding. We’ll also explore welding fume extraction in NZ.

Keep yourself and your crew safe by being proactive with the tips from this guide. Ready to dive in? Then, let’s get started.

The Health Risks of Welding Fumes

The term ‘welding fumes’ is somewhat misleading because they aren’t just gaseous. Welding fumes are a blend of tiny particles and gases generated during the welding process. Like many unseen hazards, they don’t create any immediate effects. However, the effects of long-term unprotected exposure can lead to several serious health issues.

Some, but not all, of the health issues associated with inhaling welding fumes include:

• Respiratory issues. Inhaling the tiny particles and gases can damage the lining of the lungs and your windpipe. In time, this can lead to bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, and even chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Metallic fume fever. This is a more short-term symptom of welding with certain metals. Inhaling zinc oxide fumes from zinc-coated or galvanised materials can induce a condition called metal fume fever. Symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, and muscle aches (much like a severe flu).
• Cancer risk. Hexavalent chromium and nickel are classified as carcinogens. When inhaled, these aspects of welding fumes can increase the risk of lung cancer and other respiratory cancers.

Best Practices for Welding in Industrial Environments

Before starting an industrial welding project, creating a protocol for doing it safely is vital. This is a big part of the work we do with industrial teams.

Much like creating a site safety plan, creating a plan to safely weld is essential. These protective measures are extremely important, so let’s take a moment to review them.

Ventilate

Adequate ventilation is crucial to disperse welding fumes, preventing them from building up in your workspace. Welding extraction hoods and fans are the perfect local exhaust ventilation systems, creating optimal airflow to draw damaging fumes away from the welder.

Protect Your Respiratory System

All welders and nearby workers should wear appropriate PPE to protect their respiratory systems. This can look like N95 respirators or powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) alongside standard PPE like protective clothing, gloves, and eyewear.

This is especially important in confined spaces.

Mitigate Danger in Confined Spaces

Speaking of which, it’s doubly important to be careful in confined spaces. In fact, it’s important to avoid welding in confined spaces whenever possible, as this can be twice as dangerous. If you have to weld in a confined space, ensure there is proper ventilation with on-site exhaust ventilation systems. It’s also best to conduct a thorough risk assessment before starting any work.

Testing and Welding Fume Extraction

Finally, the best way to supplement these careful safety protocols is to ensure they are working properly. Welding fume extraction allows us to capture the fumes as welding is happening, sampling the air via pumps and then testing the sample with electronic instrumentation.

We test for airborne contaminants as well as make a plan that incorporates the welding process used, the metals, gases, and fluxes. From there, we’ll recommend the next steps for managing any risk to the welders and the surrounding crew. Not only that, we’ll work with you to determine who else on-site is exposed and mitigate any health risks.

At the end of the day, the most important thing to do when welding is to make a thorough plan before beginning work. As with any job on an industrial scale, there are a lot of moving parts to consider. When in doubt, reach out to a team of experts.

It’s our job to be on-site with you, testing the materials in use, testing the air as welding occurs, and encouraging the proper use of PPE every step of the way.

Make sure you can weld safely with welding fume extraction in NZ.

At Consultex, we work with you to test the materials on-site to ensure that welding will be safe for you and your crew. We’ll also work with you to craft solutions for potentially unsafe welding environments, including welding fume extraction.

Invest in your health and safety. Contact Consultex today for personalised solutions for welding fume extraction in NZ that safeguard your workplace and your well-being. 

Exploring the Facts About Asbestos Safety

Asbestos is a dangerous hazard and one that should be approached and removed with the utmost care. Since its discovery as a construction material decades ago, this fibrous material has made its way into homes, businesses, and industrial structures all across the world.

In New Zealand, our heritage sites and long-standing buildings all have the potential to be housing this dangerous material. When we encounter it, it’s vital to safely test, treat, and remove it as quickly as possible.

Despite its benign appearance, there is a lot more to asbestos than meets the eye. In this blog post, our aim is to increase asbestos awareness by reviewing asbestos safety regulations, hazards, and more. Jump in with the Consultex team for a primer on this insidious material.

Asbestos Awareness: The History of Asbestos in New Zealand

Asbestos use really took off during the Industrial Revolution when it was discovered that it was a fire-resistant building material and had insulating properties. We then used it to build everything, putting it in our construction materials, our roofing, our insulation, and even in fireproof coatings.

The 20th century saw the biggest boom in this material’s usage, seeing it incorporated into everything from our homes to our cars. However, before long, studies emerged linking asbestos to lung diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma. From there, asbestos treatment, surveying, and removal have evolved into a necessary part of the construction industry to protect workers, families, and the general public.

Professional asbestos abatement and removal procedures are essential for safely removing this dangerous material, which is why we at Consultex make identifying asbestos and safely removing it our business – across a plethora of applications.

Asbestos Hazards: How Asbestos Impacts Our Health

One of the most fundamental aspects of our modern-day asbestos knowledge is how it can impact our health. In that vein, we’re exploring a few of the most common ways undetected asbestos or poor asbestos removal can harm workers or building inhabitants.

• Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease. As you might be able to guess from its name, the core cause is from the damaging effects of asbestos.

Essentially, asbestos is incredibly fibrous, and the fibres are very delicate, meaning they flake off and are easy to inhale. These tiny fibres cause lung scarring when inhaled, resulting in persistent coughing and reduced lung function, eventually resulting – in severe cases – in death.

• Lung Cancer

Over a long period of time, exposure to asbestos can sharply increase the risk of developing lung cancer (particularly in people who smoke). It’s sometimes hard to pin down the root cause, as the cancer typically doesn’t manifest until years after the initial exposure.

There is also a type of cancer linked exclusively to asbestos exposure called mesothelioma. It is aggressive and challenging to treat, often prompting a poor life expectancy.

It’s crucial to note that the health effects of asbestos exposure are strongly dose-dependent. This means the effects relate to the intensity and duration of exposure. Some individuals may develop these diseases; some may not.

However, the safest attitude is that it’s essential to prevent further asbestos exposure by identifying and properly managing materials containing asbestos as they are being removed.

Asbestos Safely Regulations: The Keys to Safely Handling Asbestos

• Survey and Testing

If you suspect the presence of asbestos, it’s essential to test samples using an accredited laboratory that is equipped and qualified to handle asbestos safely.

If the tests confirm the presence of asbestos, from there, it’s the role of a company like ours to conduct a thorough survey. These surveys help to identify where in the building all the asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are so that they can be contained or safely removed. We call this an asbestos management plan.

• Minimise Disturbance

Asbestos is an incredibly delicate material. As we mentioned, the fibres are very easy to inhale, causing ongoing lung damage and scarring once they are embedded in the lungs.

To that end, it’s essential to minimise disturbances when asbestos is being removed. The procedure must be conducted gently and with the utmost care, and it’s likely that occupants will need to move out of rooms or structures for the duration of the treatment.

• Appropriate PPE

To that point, it’s also vital to wear the appropriate PPE when asbestos is being removed. Respiratory protection and protective clothing help prevent the inhalation of asbestos fibres and prevent skin contact.

This article has just scratched the surface of what’s important to know when you potentially have asbestos in your building or site. However, the most important point we can make here is never to attempt to remove it yourself. Always call a qualified, professional team that can safely dispose of the material in a way that won’t jeopardise anyone’s health.

If you’re concerned about the possibility of ACMs in your environment or site, the team at Consultex can safely help with surveying, testing, and safely handling the material.  

Ready to prioritise asbestos safety regulations in your projects?

At Consultex, we take asbestos hazards seriously. Contact Consultex today for expert guidance on asbestos safety and to ensure a secure and compliant environment.