What Are the Laws Around Asbestos Roofing Removal?
Even if you don’t work in the building industry, you probably know that asbestos is very dangerous. You probably also know that it was once used extensively in the manufacture of building materials.
In homes of a certain age, you might find asbestos in all kinds of places, from flooring to insulation. It was also very commonly used as a roofing material. That doesn’t happen anymore, but if you need to replace your roof and it is asbestos, you do need to comply with laws and regulations.
Incredibly Dangerous
Asbestos, when it is undisturbed, is mostly harmless. It could be in the walls or roof of your home for years, and as long as it’s not disturbed, it would not cause any problems.
However, when asbestos is disturbed, particularly during demolition, it releases tiny fibres into the air. If you breathe those fibres in, they can lodge in your lungs and other organs, and that can create serious health problems, including cancer.
Because you can’t see these fibres, there’s no way to tell if you’re being exposed to them, which only makes them more dangerous.
Why Do We Need Laws About Asbestos Removal?
Asbestos really is a silent killer. You might never know that it’s in your home, but if you disturb it, you could breathe it in, and only discover that you were exposed years or decades later.
We need to have laws about asbestos removal so that we can ensure that anyone who handles asbestos does so in a manner that is safe for them and for other people and animals.
Every step of the process of handling asbestos needs to be approached with the utmost care, to ensure that no asbestos particles can evade proper exposure. This often means installing temporary containment areas, using special tools and methods, and packaging the materials carefully before disposing of them.
What Are the Laws About Asbestos Roofing Removal?
There are rules about who can remove asbestos, as well as how it must be removed, and where and how it can be disposed of. In some parts of Australia, homeowners can remove non friable asbestos material measuring up to 10 square metres. However, that’s a lot smaller than most roofs, so unless you’re only removing a small section of your roof, you probably aren’t legally allowed to remove it yourself.
Anything over that size (and anything at all in states that don’t allow DIY removal) must be removed and disposed of by a trained and certified contractor.
What Happens If You Don’t Follow the Rules?
Unfortunately, ignorance of the regulations is not enough to get you out of trouble if you are caught removing asbestos illegally.
Penalties for removing asbestos without the proper licensing and equipment can include hefty fines, and to be completely honest, it’s really just not worth the health risk.
Asbestos roofing removals are a lot more complicated than you might think, and it’s always simpler, often cheaper, and definitely less trouble than trying to do it yourself. Leave this one to the professionals and focus your skills and attention on DIY projects that are less risky.
