Asbestos Professionals – What They Do

The asbestos professionals are skilled contractors and technicians that are meticulously trained to handle all aspects of asbestos material and adhere to governing laws, regulations, guidelines and instructions. Their expertise maybe classified according to the type of product and the set of procedures to use in correcting the problem. You can either hire a general asbestos contractor in some cases or a licensed professionally trained technician to handle a specific product that contain asbestos.

The asbestos inspection professionals can conduct inspections, gather samples from suspected material, review and evaluate its condition, and provide advises on the corrective action needed, while they can also refer other licensed professionals who are qualified to do abatement. As a rule, remember that asbestos material in good condition need not be sampled unless it has been disturbed. The professional correction or asbestos abatement would need specialized contractors to conduct repair and removal of asbestos materials in your home.

There are some environmental companies that offer services combining testing, assessment and asbestos abatement. However, it would be logical to hire a professional to assess the need for corrective action separately and not connected with an asbestos-correction company. To avoid conflict of interest, it is best to use two independent firms for this case. The type of service may vary from one state to another to another in the U.S., which is typically dependent on Federal and State Governing Regulations on asbestos.

The Federal Government offers training courses for asbestos professionals throughout the country. But some State and Local Governments also offer or even require training certification of such courses. As a result of this, asbestos professionals are always ready to document their completion of such State-approved of Federal training courses to support their skills and capability. An asbestos licensed professional should be able to provide proof of training and licensing in asbestos work such as; completion of EPA-approved training courses. The EPA Regional Offices and Local and State Health Departments have listings of licensed asbestos professionals in your location.

When you have asbestos problems in your home and in the process of hiring a professional, you can check their credentials carefully. Choose asbestos professionals who are trained, experienced, accredited and reputable. Sometimes, accreditation is required by State and Local laws. Ask for references on their previous clients and call the clients for feedback and satisfaction ratings. Go through asking the professional if they have handled similar cases before. Request for cost estimates from three or more professionals, to compare service charges, but the lowest priced might not be the best service you get.

The approved procedures describe in the federal and state-approved trainings for handling and abatement of asbestos materials covers schools and public buildings, however, same procedures are also used for homes and household dwellings. Beware of misleading claims by asbestos consultants and contractors that household have different procedures.

There are reports of companies persistently claiming that asbestos materials in homes must be replaced. There are also cases where these companies have encouraged the unnecessary removal of undisturbed asbestos material and the use of improper procedures. Remember that the unnecessary removal of undisturbed asbestos material is a waste of money. On top of this, improper removal may result in airborne asbestos fiber increasing the health risks to you and your family. To be cautious about this, discuss with your professionals their services, procedures and precautions to do the job properly.

General asbestos contractors have several specialists that includes; flooring, roofing, or plumbing technicians that are fully trained to handle asbestos abatement when necessary to remove and replace flooring, roofing, siding or asbestos-cement pipes that are part of a water system. But normally, flooring and roofing contractors are exempt from State and Local licensing requirements since they do not perform any other asbestos-correction work but on new installations and repair of non-asbestos material alone.

For the asbestos-containing motor vehicle clutch facings and linings, brake pads and linings should only be repaired and replaced by a professional technician using special protective equipment. However, new product lines of this category are now available free of asbestos material.  Asbestos professionals continue to update their knowledge on new product lines and methods in asbestos handling.