Choosing a Lab for Asbestos Testing in Queensland: What Should a Laboratory Do For You?
How safe is your workplace? No matter the specific industry in which your business operates, safety is of paramount importance. It is even likely there are specific workplace health and safety rules that apply to your type of business. What about the safety risks that you can’t easily see, though — like environmental hazards that might be lurking in and around the workplace? We’re talking about ACM, of course, or asbestos-containing material. With its once widespread popularity as a building material, it is still possible to encounter asbestos in older structures and installations. Current WHS rules stipulate that businesses must take appropriate steps to identify any of the potential risks associated with asbestos-containing materials.
At Environmental & Laboratory Services, our professional team of asbestos assessors is ideally positioned to assist your business in identifying potential hazards present on around the work site. Our fully equipped asbestos testing laboratory allows us to pursue positive identifications, including not only the presence of asbestos but also the specific type and class (e.g., Class A friable or Class B non-friable) of fibres. With the understanding that time is of the essence when dealing with potential ACM and the need to formulate a plan for mitigation, we can complete testing within one working day — or even faster as necessary. How can you determine if you will need our asbestos testing laboratory services?
A Dependable Option for Asbestos Testing in Queensland
One of the challenges inherent in trying to determine what to submit for testing is the wide variety of places that asbestos can appear in an older structure. If you have not already considered one, a full asbestos site survey and register can streamline the process by helping to identify areas of concern. Older materials that commonly contain some form of asbestos include:
- Certain styles of vinyl sheet flooring and vinyl flooring tiles
- Insulating material, especially around pipes and hoses
- Old electrical insulation, wiring covers, and switchboard backings
- External cladding such as imitation brick, certain types of wall sheeting
- Older roofing
Some of these materials are easier to sample than others which can pose more significant challenges. While only a small piece is necessary to make an identification, be aware that even gathering a sample can be a hazardous endeavour. If you do not have the required protective gear, please ask Environmental & Laboratory Services to assist you in planning for safe collection.
Keep Yourself and Your Staff Safe On-Site
In the fight against asbestos and the dangers it can pose, knowing is half the battle. Our team is here to help you gain that knowledge and, if necessary, to help make plans for how you will handle ACM mitigation in the future. Please note that we only offer testing, management, and ongoing monitoring services; other third-party professionals will be required to carry out licensed removal work in accordance with your plan. To find out more or to arrange for submission of a sample, contact Environmental & Laboratory Services now.