Asbestos is a dangerous, insidious material, and one that often goes undetected in New Zealand properties. To remove a dangerous material from your property, you first need to know that it’s there, and that’s where asbestos identification comes in.
Read on for a comprehensive breakdown of the asbestos identification process. We’ll cover what asbestos is, as well as the steps a Consultex Labs accredited testing laboratory would take to test a sample.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of naturally-occurring minerals with a unique structure. Each kind is comprised of long, thin fibres that are extremely fragile and flake away easily when disturbed.
Prior to the 1990s, asbestos was thought to be an excellent building material. It was versatile, lightweight, tolerant to plenty of tension, and even had soundproofing properties. On top of that, it was very fire resistant. All of these qualities created a high demand for asbestos as a construction material. Rather than being used in its raw form, the fibrous material was often broken down and incorporated into other building materials for easy use. These materials are now known as asbestos-containing materials, or ACMs.
In the golden age of asbestos, ACMs were very commonly used. However, once the government discovered the negative health effects people experienced after exposure to asbestos, things had to change rapidly. These days, approximately 220 people die of asbestos exposure each year, making it the single biggest cause of death from work-related diseases in New Zealand, according to WorkSafe.
Why is Asbestos so Dangerous?
Because the fibrous minerals can flake off when disturbed, small pieces of asbestos are easy to inhale when people are doing construction or repair work. Once they make their way into the respiratory system, these flakes do a lot of damage.
Long-term conditions like mesothelioma and respiratory cancer are just some of the common side effects of exposure to asbestos.
This is why it’s incredibly important to contact trained professionals if you suspect there is asbestos on your property. We can identify whether that’s the case and create a step-by-step plan for safe removal.
The Professional Asbestos Identification Process
There are many factors that indicate you might have asbestos on your property, from the age of your building to the type of materials inside. In all cases, if you’re suspicious that you might have asbestos, the best thing to do is to have your materials professionally tested.
This is called asbestos identification, and it follows a careful process. At Consultex Labs, we have a team of trained lab technicians on staff to identify different asbestos types and make recommendations for next steps. To help you navigate this process, let’s break it down a bit further:
Sampling
To test the materials on your property, we need a small sample. As a nationwide service, we provide sample pick-ups for fast turnarounds, but you can also send them directly to our laboratory for testing. This ensures you get your results as quickly as possible.
If you prefer to have someone else do the sampling, we also offer bulk sampling services for testing a variety of materials on a given property.
Laboratory Testing
Our labs use microscopy techniques to identify whether asbestos is in a sample. We also use the same technique to figure out the type and amount of asbestos in the sample, because this can provide important information to removal specialists.
To detect which type of asbestos is present and how much there is, our technicians use a technique called Polarised Light Microscopy (PLM). Essentially, they look at it very closely under a microscope, using the magnification to count fibres in a sample and identify the colour.
The most common types of asbestos found in New Zealand are:
- Chrysotile (white) asbestos – most widely used for commercial applications. Usually found in floor tiles, ceiling panels, and wall texture.
- Amosite (brown) asbestos – more needle-like and fragile than other types. Commonly used for cement sheeting and thermal pipe insulation.
- Crocidolite (blue) asbestos – very heat resistant. Often found in insulating boilers and steam engines.
Interpretation and Risk Assessment
From there, the last step in the asbestos identification process is to provide the data and consult on next steps. In almost all cases, if asbestos is found in a sample, that material will need to be removed from your property as soon as possible.
The most likely next step would be to create an Asbestos Management Plan for quick, safe removal. These plans include cautionary measures for on-site asbestos testing, a map of where the ACMs in the building are, and careful step-by-step procedures for safe removal with personal protective equipment (PPE).
Suspect you have asbestos somewhere on your property? Don’t leave it to chance.
Consultex Labs provides IANZ-accredited asbestos identification services for residential, commercial, and industrial properties in New Zealand. Our experienced lab technicians can help identify whether you’re dealing with asbestos, as well as give you in-depth knowledge on the type and amount of asbestos in a given sample.
If you’re looking for something more comprehensive than a single sample, we also offer a mobile laboratory service. Our team will come to you. Get in touch with the team at Consultex Labs today.