The naturally occurring mineral known as asbestos is, today, a notorious carcinogen; inhalation of the substance can heighten a person’s risk of developing potentially fatal health conditions. It’s no wonder, then, that both commercial and residential asbestos removalists are in high demand.
A Quick History of Asbestos In New Zealand
With unprocessed asbestos first being imported into NZ in the 1930s, the material went on to be incorporated into many different building products. These included the likes of asbestos-cement sheet roofing, cladding, and textured decorative coatings on ceilings and walls.
On 1st October 2016, it finally became illegal to import asbestos-containing products into NZ. However, with asbestos having been so extensively used from around the 1940s until the 1980s, there is a lot of asbestos still present in buildings here.
So, if you wish to remove this mineral from your own site, should you do your own DIY asbestos removal, or is it best to leave this sensitive task to professional asbestos removalists?
Is It Safe to Remove Asbestos Yourself?
Let’s not understate just how dangerous asbestos is. About 170 people a year in NZ die from asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.
This is why, since the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, only licensed operators have been permitted to remove asbestos in a workplace. An exception to this requirement is if the total amount to be removed is less than 10 square metres in area.
This law doesn’t apply to you if you’re a homeowner… unless you’re paying someone else to carry out your renovations or asbestos removal. This would make you a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), which would make you subject to the above rules.
Even if you’re legally permitted to undertake asbestos removal, this can be an extremely dangerous substance to handle. Asbestos that is in good condition and left alone is believed to pose a negligible risk to health. But any disturbance of asbestos materials – including if they are broken up, cut, and/or sanded – can so easily cause asbestos fibres to be released. Someone nearby could then breathe them in.
Nor does the typical person trying to carry out DIY asbestos removal have the training, experience, and equipment that would enable them to handle the substance safely. Often, then, DIY asbestos removal is a risk not worth taking.
So, whether you need domestic or commercial asbestos removal, why risk it? Instead, reach out to our asbestos experts in Auckland at Reliable Contracting Group, for a safe service and the greatest possible peace of mind.
