Welcome to my blog. My name is Deborah. About 15 years ago, I bought an old home. We worked with several contractors to rehabilitate it, but ultimately, the foundation simply wasn't stable enough, and we had to tear it down. After that, we worked with a construction crew to build a home from the ground up. The experience was exciting and challenging, and I learned a lot through that process. I want to share construction and contracting facts and information with others so I decided to start this blog. I hope that you like the results, and I thank you for reading. Enjoy!
An asbestos register is a document that captures all the relevant information about asbestos in a building. That register helps contractors and other concerned people to identify where they should be careful in order to avoid disturbing the asbestos. This article discusses some of the information that should be captured in the asbestos register of your building.
The Location
As already stated, it is important to indicate the location of asbestos containing material (ACM) or suspected ACM. The description of the location should be clear, such as the store on the ground floor. If possible, draw a sketch map indicating the physical location of the ACM.
The Product
You should also state the exact product that contains or is suspected to contain asbestos. For instance, the product column for the location in the example above can indicate that the asbestos is found in the ceiling tiles. This eases the work of anyone who wants to establish the current condition of that ACM.
Ease of Access
You should also have a column in the asbestos register that details how easy it is to access the ACM product in any location stipulated in that register. Use words such as difficult, easy or medium to describe the level of difficulty in accessing the ACM. For example, you can categorise the ceiling tiles in the example above as easy to access. Conversely, you can describe ACM behind wall insulation as difficult to access.
Surface Coating
You should also include information about any surface coating that the ACM may have. This information helps to guide you on how often you may inspect that material to assess its condition. For example, ACM with a metal case may not deteriorate as quickly as ACM having a coat of emulsion paint.
The Quantity of ACM
The information about the quantity of ACM helps anyone who reads the register to know whether any of that material has gone missing. For example, the report may indicate that there are five electrical switchboards containing asbestos. You can count the switchboards in order to confirm that the number present corresponds with the number recorded during a previous inspection.
Priority Score
This rating helps you to know which ACM needs urgent attention in order to prevent building occupants from being exposed to asbestos fibres. For example, a priority rating of 10 for asbestos floor tiles will lead you to take steps to remove that asbestos before you repair pipe insulation with a priority rating of 4.
Each jurisdiction has guidelines stipulating what information should be reflected in the asbestos registers in that area. Find out what rules apply when making an asbestos register in your area and comply with those rules. In case none is available, use the suggestions above as a starting point to have a detailed inventory of all the ACM in your building. Talk with a company like Mendelssohn Construction about creating an asbestos register.
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