If your house was built during the 70s or 80s, there’s a great chance that it has asbestos hidden behind its walls, columns and other areas.
Asbestos is one of the most dangerous materials that you could find in an Australian house. Once you’ve inhaled even a small amount of asbestos fibre, it could result in several lung diseases and other health risks.
If you suspect that your house is filled with asbestos, the best thing to do is call for the help of experts. These professionals will inspect your house and tell you which areas of the house that you have to be cautious of.
Asbestos inspections are important because they serve as warnings. They prove to be helpful especially when you have plans of upgrading or renovating your home. If you start hammering your walls down without knowing that your house is filled with this material, there’s a great chance that you’ll accidentally inhale asbestos dust.
But it’s not only important to have your house checked by legit asbestos inspection services. You also have to pick the best one. In this piece, we’ll give you some insights on how to choose a great inspection company.
1. Keep in mind that inspection and removal of asbestos is different
Beware of companies that introduce themselves as an asbestos inspection company but in reality, they’re a removal company. That’s because once you hire these kinds of companies, there’s already a conflict of interest.
There’s a big probability that the removal company will write up their asbestos reports to favour their original business.
If we were you, we’ll do our research first before hiring an agency. Don’t get swayed by their discounts and promotional stuff. Just research whether the company you’re talking to is a removal company or not.
You can go visit WorkSafe’s website, type in the company name, and look for their license. If their license says that the service of the company is asbestos removal, strike them off your prospects immediately.
Another way of verifying the legitimacy of a company is to look at its past reports. Asbestos reports like the Greenlight Asbestos Register are often 30-pages long. Steer clear of a company if their reports don’t even reach up to 10 pages.
2. See if the agency employs certified inspectors
It’s not bad to ask for the certification of the inspectors that will look at your house. After all, it’s your lives that are at risk here.
Some companies hire retired builders as their inspectors. Although we have nothing against retired construction workers, it’s best if you look for certified inspectors. Builders may know about buildings, tools, machinery and stuff. But it’s entirely different from the management of asbestos risk.
Unless they’ve undergone rigorous training to be certified as an asbestos inspector, then great. But if not, opt for other companies that hire legit inspectors.
3. Look for accreditations or awards
Most companies nowadays have their websites. Everything you need to know about a company is at the tip of your finger. Including their awards and certifications.
So before signing a contract, visit their website and see if they have accreditations. These certificates will only prove their legitimacy even further.
See also if they offer other services aside from asbestos inspection. If the company you’re investigating also offers other services like plumbing and pest extermination, strike them off the list because that’s a red flag.
As much as possible, hire an agency that is focused only on asbestos inspection. This means that they focus their resources and time on mastering their craft and improving their service. Asbestos risk management is such an important matter that a company can’t afford to be distracted by other business ventures.
