If you are looking to carry out demolition works in New Zealand, you will first need to undertake an asbestos demolition survey to identify any asbestos contained within the demolition site.
Before the dangers of asbestos fibres were known, asbestos was used in thousands of building materials. Under New Zealand’s Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations, all non domestic buildings are required to undertake a survey prior to demolition or refurbishment being carried out. For the safety of the public and workers alike, it is crucial that this be carried out by an accredited and experienced asbestos demolition will ensure compliance with all safety standards.
Asbestos can be found in materials throughout buildings and their surrounding properties. It is found in insulation, roofing, flooring, cement, ceilings, textiles, fencing, garden edging and other building products.
Before any demolition project can begin, an asbestos demolition survey must be carried out to identify any sources of asbestos on site. Revolve Asbestos Solutions are certified surveyors who not only offer a comprehensive and expert testing process, but are also able to carry out asbestos removal in a safe and fully compliant manner, should any asbestos be found.
When disturbed or damaged during demolition, asbestos-containing building materials can release asbestos fibres into the air, where they pose a severe health risk to anyone inhaling or ingesting them. Asbestos can cause life-threatening health problems such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, and no amount of exposure is safe.
To mitigate these dangers, it is critical to know where asbestos lies within a building site prior to demolition. This can require extensive surveying and testing, which needs to be done by a trained and experienced professional, with access to proper asbestos testing facilities.
Our asbestos demolition survey process is thorough and accurate, and involves the following steps:
Asbestos demolition surveys require invasive testing where all parts of the building are penetrated. This comes with a risk that asbestos may be disturbed. As an expert and certified team, Revolve Asbestos Solutions will ensure all tests are carried out in a fully compliant manner and using protective measures, so that the risk of asbestos disturbance or exposure is minimised.
New Zealand’s Health and Safety legislation requires that an asbestos demolition survey be conducted by a qualified professional prior to any demolition taking place. The survey must identify all asbestos-containing materials, and if found, these must be safely removed by a licensed asbestos removalist before demolition can begin. Further regulations exist regarding the safe disposal of hazardous waste from the site.
These regulations are enforced by WorkSafe New Zealand, and non-compliance can result in significant penalties.
Not if the building was constructed prior to 2000. Large amounts of asbestos-containing materials were used for a wide range of construction purposes in new and refurbished buildings in New Zealand until as late as 2000. It is therefore a requirement for surveys to be completed prior to demolition or refurbishment works on any building built up until the year 2000, no matter how big or small the project. The work must be undertaken by a qualified professional.
The length of time a survey takes will depend on a number of factors, including the size and complexity of the site, availability of records, accessibility, the number of materials that may contain asbestos, and the need to send materials to a laboratory for testing. A survey may be completed within a day, or may take several days. Please contact Revolve Asbestos Solutions to obtain a free estimated timeline and quote.
If asbestos is found during the asbestos demolition survey, it will need to be safely removed before demolition begins. This is a legal requirement in New Zealand, to prevent the release of hazardous asbestos fibres into the air during the demolition process. Removal must be carried out by a licensed asbestos removal professional, such as Revolve Asbestos Solutions, who will follow strict safety protocols to ensure that it is handled, removed, and disposed of properly.
Yes, there are significant financial penalties if demolition work is carried out without an appropriate asbestos demolition survey first being conducted by qualified professionals.
