Asbestos Abatement: Government facilities.

10/2/2019 (Permalink)

Ask us about our Asbestos Awareness Class

The United States Government uses SERVPRO from time to time. Primarily when they need to get rid of asbestos. Asbestos is very common in many of their buildings because of the year they were built. Asbestos may be present in textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was not banned until 1977.

It can be found in thermal system insulation, climate insulation, plaster wall & ceiling systems, electrical systems, and tiles, wallboard, siding, roofing shingles, roofing felt, base flashing, cement wallboard, cement siding, ceiling tiles and lay-in panels, asphalt floor tile, vinyl sheet flooring, flooring backing, and vinyl wall coverings. 

In order to remove or securely bind asbestos fibers during restoration or renovation, a Certified Asbestos Abatement Company is needed to perform the project.  The process of asbestos abatement in a government facility can be very time consuming.  After a bid is accepted by the Government, a lengthy process of project planning follows. The Department of Natural Resources must be notified of almost all commercial abatement projects, and a permit is required for any work needing to be done.  Depending on the location of the building, there may also be a permit required with the City.

In many cases, the crew that will perform the work needs to pass a background check in order to receive clearance to be in the building.  In the state of Wisconsin, there is a 10 working day wait period before any regulated asbestos work can be started.

Once the abatement process has started, there are many regulations that must be followed throughout the project.  Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can cause multiple different diseases in the lungs and the lining around internal organs if it is disturbed. It must be handled with extreme care. Therefore, all projects must be done very precisely. 

All state certified Asbestos Supervisors and Workers are required to wear safety gear.  A decontamination chamber is also set up for all workers to move through in order to ensure asbestos fibers do not leave the regulated area. There are air samples taken before and after. 

When the project is completed, air quality samples are taken to ensure cleanliness. The waste also needs to be properly disposed of, with many steps that need to be followed with accuracy. All asbestos containing waste must be taken to a certified landfill and buried.

Contact Us at 262-542-0900 if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about Asbestos Abatement.