If you own a commercial or industrial building in Mount Prospect, Illinois, it’s important to familiarize yourself with safe asbestos management. The government has tried to control the use of asbestos through regulatory efforts and partial bans since the 1970s. However, asbestos can still be present in many buildings to this day.

Asbestos can be dangerous if not handled carefully, which is why it should be removed with extreme caution. This asbestos removal contractor in Mount Prospect, Illinois is going to discuss some of the key things you should know about removing asbestos in a safe and compliant manner.

What exactly is asbestos, and why should you be careful with it?

Asbestos is a group of natural mineral fibers. In the past, these fibers were commonly used in construction because of their strength and resistance to fire, heat, and electricity damage. And while the use of asbestos is partially banned now, it is still present in many older buildings.

Asbestos can pose serious health risks if its microscopic fibers get released into the air and someone breathes them in. This usually happens when the asbestos-containing materials (or “ACMs”) are moved or damaged in some way. Breathing in asbestos fibers can cause severe respiratory diseases like lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma (a rare cancer of the chest and stomach lining), cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, kidney, and throat (larynx or oropharynx), and scarring of the lung lining.

Because of these potentially life-threatening health risks, you’ll want to know with 100% certainty whether your building contains asbestos. If you’re not sure, you can always schedule an inspection with your local asbestos removal contractor in Mount Prospect, Illinois.

How can you safely occupy a commercial building with asbestos?

First and foremost, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with both federal and state laws on asbestos management. Compliance with regulations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and state guidelines helps you ensure the health and safety of all building occupants. Of course, it also helps you avoid fines.

Next, you should hire a certified professional to test whether (and where) asbestos might be in your building. The expert will take samples from different parts of the building and test them to confirm the presence and type of asbestos. This helps you understand how much of a risk the ACMs in your building could pose to people’s health.

An important step is to inform and train your employees about the dangers of asbestos and how to stay safe. This is especially important for those who might have to work directly with or around asbestos, like those in maintenance or construction. In these cases, you should provide them with personal protective equipment (PPE) and training on how to minimize exposure.

You may eventually need to consider asbestos abatement strategies like encapsulation, repair, enclosure, or removal. Each asbestos abatement strategy has its use, depending on how much asbestos there is, where it is, and its condition. When you hire a qualified asbestos removal contractor in Mount Prospect, Illinois, you can ensure that any asbestos will be handled safely and legally.

Looking for an Asbestos Removal Contractor in Mount Prospect, Illinois?

Are you concerned about the presence of asbestos in your commercial building? Wondering how to handle it in the safest way possible? If so, our team at Axis Response Group is here to help. As the top-rated asbestos removal contractor in Mount Prospect, Illinois, we offer asbestos inspection and removal services for all types of properties. Our technicians are trained in environmentally safe practices in asbestos abatement and removal, and we’ll make sure your property remains safe throughout the entire process.

Contact us today at (773) 427-6811 to get started.