Why should I get an asbestos audit of my premises?

An asbestos audit can provide assurance that your premises are safe, and protection from legal liability.

Asbestos in Construction

Nearly every building constructed before the 1980s included some product or material containing asbestos.

For years, asbestos was used commonly in construction projects throughout the U.S. It was sought-after for its durability, reliability, and its adhesive and fire-resistant properties. And because asbestos comes equipped with so many desirable properties, it was used in roofing, in ceilings, in floors, in insulation tucked away in walls and in many other interior and exterior areas.

Prior to its ban in the late-‘80s, most homes and commercial units contained asbestos. And even after its ban, the fibrous material continued to be used in ways that the federal government felt it would not pose a significant health risk – such as in cement. This same standard prevails today. If there is an insignificant amount of asbestos being applied or it is being used in a way that it is not likely to be ingested, use of the fibrous substance is still legal.

What Does an Asbestos Audit Entail?

Asbestos is still a public health problem.

Despite the fact that asbestos use is still legal to use in some cases, it is not as prevalent as it was prior to the ban.

Older buildings, however, that were constructed before the health risks of asbestos use were known are likely to contain the substance in areas that could pose a health risk. If a building owner suspects there may be asbestos present and it could pose a risk, an inspector can come take a closer look.

What does an asbestos inspector do?

Inspectors carefully survey a property in search of asbestos-containing materials (ACM). ACM is currently defined as anything that contains greater than 1% of the hazardous substance.

During this initial examination, the inspector will come equipped with a hazmat suit and the tools necessary to safely extract a sample of the area in question.

Licensed asbestos inspectors have tools, techniques and protection to limit the risks of asbestos exposure.

The sample removed by an asbestos inspector will be sent to a lab to be processed, and the lab will be able to definitively determine whether the sample contains asbestos fibers and, if so, how much it contains.

Asbestos is composed of little fibers. Some are long enough to be woven into textile products, but they are all microscopic. Asbestos has no taste, and there is no “asbestos smell,” so you may not know you are breathing it.

Asbestos has no taste or smell, so you may not know you are breathing it.

With the proper sample, a licensed laboratory can reliably test for the presence of asbestos.

There are several different tests using electron microscopes and other sophisticated equipment that labs use to detect asbestos.

Microscopy is the method of using microscopes to examine and evaluate things that are too small for anyone to see with their eyes. Asbestos fibers can be large and appear as dust, but the fibers can even be microscopic and too small to see. Microscopy helps to detect the presence of asbestos in the air or soil.

There are four major types of asbestos testing:

Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM)
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM)

METHOD	GENERALLY GOOD FOR TESTING
Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM)	Air and Soil
Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM)	Soil
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)	Air and Soil
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)	Air and Soil

What if the asbestos audit sample comes back from the lab as positive for asbestos?

If the sample comes back positive, the structure from which it was extracted can be reexamined to determine whether more is present. The inspector will likely take a second look at the entire location to determine if there is asbestos in other areas as well.

Each area where asbestos is suspected will need to be tested until all areas of concern are addressed. Inspections commonly occur when older buildings are going to be renovated or demoed, and many regulatory bodies throughout the U.S. require asbestos audits before any work can be done.

Asbestos testing and proper compliance

Sometimes government agencies conduct compliance inspections. During these audits, inspectors are called out to determine whether a property owner is following all guidelines for the use of asbestos and keeping levels under the standard ACM.

During this audit, samples might be extracted if noncompliance is suspected. If a property has asbestos levels above the legally allowed 1% level, the owner may receive a fine and be asked to remediate.

Certain locations are of significant importance when it comes to complying to asbestos standards, especially buildings that house a large number of people including apartment complexes and schools. Many of these were built before the ban and it’s important that occupants are protected if the buildings are scheduled for updates.

Many times, the aftermath of asbestos exposure isn’t evident for years to come. Schoolchildren who were exposed in their elementary classrooms may not become symptomatic until their 30s or 40s.

The latency of symptoms makes the health risks posed by asbestos all that more frightening. It is possible for asbestos-related conditions to not become evident until decades later.

What are asbestos-related diseases?

Asbestos-related diseases are respiratory and other illnesses known to be caused or exacerbated by the presence of asbestos in a person’s body.

Asbestos was used for its durability, and unfortunately once asbestos has been inhaled, The American Lung Association notes that there is a risk that once inhaled, some asbestos fibers will never leave the body.¹

Some of the consequences of asbestos exposure include respiratory diseases such as COPD, emphysema and asthma, a chronic cough, shortness of breath and many types of cancer including thyroid, kidney, ovarian, and lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that is caused solely by asbestos exposure.

Unfortunately, there have been many cases in which asbestos was present in buildings and they were renovated without being audited and inspected. This has led to a number of lawsuits. Schools have been at the center of many of these legal battles, not only because of asbestos in the walls, ceilings and floors of the buildings but because the substance was also historically used in art supplies, crayons, pottery and other classroom staples.

Can I do an asbestos audit on a property myself?

The short answer is ‘yes.’ But attempting to perform an independent asbestos audit is both costly and dangerous.

It might also be illegal, depending on where the property is located. Many states require a special certification to perform testing and abatement.

Companies have all of the right tools to extract and test samples in the safest way possible.

It simply isn’t worth the health risks associated with accidental exposure. It is also not safe to assume that an older building doesn’t contain asbestos and to go ahead with renovations without getting it tested.

It only takes a small amount of the microscopic fibers to be inhaled to cause a problem down the road. Getting a professional asbestos audit is always worth the extra step.

The National Cancer Institute states that “there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.”²

“The overall evidence suggests there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.”

Source: National Cancer Institute (NIH)³

If you may have been exposed to asbestos, speak with your healthcare provider about tests and screening to help detect the presence of asbestos fibers and asbestos-related damage.

AsbestosClaims.Law

AsbestosClaims.law is your comprehensive resource for all things asbestos. We hope this information helps you.

If you believe that your home was contaminated with asbestos, you could be entitled to significant compensation—money you could use to cover the costs of asbestos removal services, pay for medical treatment, and preemptively protect your physical well-being.

In addition to legal claims, veterans disability, social security and employment protection like workers compensation, FELA and The Jones Act for maritime workers, there are asbestos trusts that have been set up to compensate those harmed by asbestos without having to file a lawsuit.
If you have any additional questions or concerns related to asbestos, including testing for exposure or how to file a claim, please get in touch by email at [email protected], or call or text us at (833) 4-ASBESTOS (427-2378) or (206) 455-9190.

Guth, K., Desai, U., McCluskey, J., & Harbison, R. (2020). Asbestos exposure risk from ceiling and other building materials. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences, 12(4), 46-59.

1 https://www.lung.org/clean-air/at-home/indoor-air-pollutants/asbestos
2 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
3 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.