If you have a shed or garage that you believe contains asbestos and are unsure whether or not to remove it, the following information
might be helpful….
Detecting asbestos in a garage or shed
To begin, you may be wondering if your shed or garage truly contains asbestos……
Examine the roof to discover if it’s constructed of a grey-colored corrugated material. If it is, asbestos is almost certainly present.
It will not include asbestos if it is composed of a different material, such as reinforced plastic or corrugated iron.
Asbestos cement panels are resistant to harsh weather, thus any boarding panels used on the exterior of the construction that are
exposed to the elements will almost certainly include asbestos.
After you’ve determined whether or not your shed or garage has asbestos, you’ll want to know whether or not you should remove it. If it’s
in good shape and hasn’t been harmed in any way, the usual suggestion is to say no.
Asbestos cement is extremely durable, lasting for fifty to sixty years before displaying any symptoms of damage. So long as you leave it
alone, you’ll be OK. It only becomes hazardous when the material is disturbed, releasing dust and fibres into the air that can be inhaled.
If you know or believe that your shed or garage contains asbestos, you should avoid using power equipment such as drills, sanders, and
other similar items on the framework of the facility.
If your shed or garage does contain asbestos and it has been disturbed or is in poor condition, you do not need to hire a specialised
certified contractor to remove it, contrary to common perception. This is both expensive and useless.
If you are a DIY enthusiast, you may remove the asbestos from the garage yourself, with the assistance of another person if there is a lot
of it because it will be heavy. Alternatively, any qualified construction contractor should be able to perform it for you if you don’t feel
comfortable doing it yourself.
A professional contractor will be up to date on asbestos awareness training and should be able to provide you the appropriate
certifications as confirmation of their education.
Every 12 months, contractors who work with asbestos and handle it as part of their employment must attend an asbestos awareness
refresher course.
When it comes to removal, preparation is crucial.
If you decide to remove asbestos from a garage or shed yourself, keep the following tips in mind, but always get professional help if you
have any questions:
– formalised paraphrase
Once you’ve determined that the garage or shed’s panels or roofing sheets are constructed of asbestos cement, you’ll need to prepare
ahead of time for how you’ll get rid of them before you even consider removing them.
Most big cities will have home trash recycling centres where you can bring asbestos waste and deposit it in specialised asbestos cement
skips.
To find out where your nearest site is, go to your local government’s website.
For the job of removing the asbestos panels from the garage, make sure you have the proper equipment on hand. Ladders, an adjustable
spanner, a big screwdriver, a claw hammer, and a hacksaw should all be included.
You’ll need something to keep the asbestos cement moist, such as a hosepipe or a portable water spray cannon.
As you remove the panels and/or roof sheets, make sure you have sufficient plastic sheeting to wrap them in.
You’ll also want heavy-duty plastic bags to collect any smaller bits or trash. All of these items can be found at any reputable DIY store.
Wear clothing that can be thrown away when the asbestos is removed from your garage, preferably a paper overall, but any old clothing
that you don’t mind throwing away will suffice.
It’s also critical that you put on a fibre mask. This must be carefully fitted so that it completely covers your nose and mouth with no gaps.
Disposable fibre masks are available from a variety of DIY websites, such as Screwfix, as well as specialised PPE/RPE websites, such as
Protective Masks Direct.
However, make sure your mask is built to EU standards EN149 (type FFP3) or EN1827 (type FMP3), since they provide the maximum
level of protection.
Further information on what PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to wear when dealing with asbestos may be found on the HSE website.
After removing asbestos from a shed or garage, the protective clothing (PPE) and any disposable face masks (RPE) must be wrapped in
heavy duty polythene sheets or placed into heavy duty rubble sacks and sealed.
Before you begin, consider the following safety measures.
Before you begin removing asbestos from your garage, make sure the area is safe and that no children, animals, or anybody are present
who are not wearing the appropriate protective gear.
Other safety precautions must be followed. Any electrical supply to the building, for example, must be separated and unplugged correctly.
You might hire an electrician to help you with this.
If you’re going to be handling asbestos-containing products, you must avoid eating, drinking, or smoking while doing so.
Under no circumstances should you attempt to climb onto the roof; this is highly dangerous. Because asbestos cement roofs are known
to be fragile, you may fall through if you stand on them. Not only that, but if the roof is damp, it may be quite dangerous.
Most of the work can be done from the inside, so there’s no need to get up on the roof in the first place.
It’s preferable to keep the asbestos cement moist both inside and out until it’s time to package it. You may do this using a yard hose, or
even better, wait till it has rained and then perform the task.
However, only use low-pressure water from a hose or a spray bottle.
The use of high-pressure water jets may result in the dispersion of asbestos dust or fibres.
Asbestos removal from a garage in a safe manner
This technique will show you how to safely remove asbestos from a shed or garage.
To begin, keep an eye out for any silt material that has accumulated in the gutters’ bottoms. This is likely to contain asbestos particles
because it came from an asbestos-cement roof. Soak it well in water before placing it in a heavy-duty plastic polythene bag.
It is advised that you place the asbestos material in a red plastic bag, seal it, and then place it in a transparent plastic bag before sealing it
again (called double bagging).
Many internet companies, such as Protective Masks Direct, sell these heavy-duty asbestos bags, which are generally 900mm by 1200mm
in size.
Remember to properly mark the contents of the bag on the exterior.
The asbestos-cement sheets and guttering can then be disposed of alongside the rest of the asbestos-cement sheets and guttering.
After you’ve made sure there’s no silt in the gutters, remove the screws or nuts from the asbestos-cement sheets. Depending on the type
of bolt and its condition, you may need to use a hacksaw, or you may be able to get away with a screwdriver or wrench.
However, if nails were used or you were unable to unscrew the bolts, you will need to push the asbestos panel up through the head of the
screw. There will be some damage around the head of the nail or bolt if you do this, but simply make sure you wet the area well and
secure any pieces in a plastic bag.
Once you’ve securely removed the asbestos cement sheets from the garage in one piece (don’t split them up into tiny pieces), prepare
your plastic sheeting and wrap each one as you remove it. Don’t bother about lifting and moving the asbestos sheets until later; instead,
focus on wrapping and sealing them first.
Everything that is bagged must have a clear label.
If any breakages occur, simply dampen them down, wrap the smaller pieces, and store them in the heavy-duty bags for later disposal.
Make sure the space is clean and no tiny bits of asbestos cement remain after all asbestos-containing objects have been wrapped and
double bagged. Once you’ve finished, hose off the area to eliminate any debris.
Finally, when you’ve finished removing asbestos from the shed or garage, make sure you properly wash your hands. Even if you’ve been
wearing gloves, wash your hands and fingernails to get rid of any dust or dirt.
Getting rid of asbestos trash once it’s been removed
If you have access to a trailer or the rear of a commercial truck to dispose of the asbestos trash, this is preferable than placing it in your
car boot since you can rinse it out later with water.
Check with your local municipality to see where you can securely dispose of asbestos trash, since not all recycling sites will accept it.
Please visit the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos for further information on how to safely remove asbestos from a shed or
garage.
