ASBESTOS SHINGLE REMOVAL

By law, a licensed asbestos abatement contractor must oversee the handling and removal of asbestos-containing materials

October 28, 2010 – If your home was built before the 1980s, its exterior shingles could very well be made of asbestos, a toxic building material used extensively in the U.S. construction industry. Its high toxicity and detrimental effect on home resale values has prompted many home owners to consider asbestos shingle removal projects – a work activity that by law must be supervised by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.

Once prized for its intrinsic properties that include stalwart resistance to fire, temperature change, electricity and water corrosion, asbestos is now banned in most countries of the world except the United States, which still imports the material for use in the construction and automotive industries. Automotive asbestos exposure, especially during brake and clutch repair work, is still a very real danger for mechanics and home car enthusiasts unfamiliar with government safety guidelines.

Asbestos, however, is heavily regulated by the U.S. government in recognition of its cancer-causing effect on unprotected construction workers, thousands of whom die every year from diseases related to occupational asbestos exposure, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and asbestos-linked lung cancer.

Today, most manufacturers use alternative materials to make exterior building shingles. Asbestos roofing shingles, for example, are less common on buildings constructed today, but they still remain on the majority of older homes, making roof repair a dangerous business.

Government regulates asbestos shingle removal

Ripping up any asbestos-containing building materials embedded in a structure releases minute asbestos fibers into the air. Occupational asbestos exposure occurs when workers inadvertently inhale these toxic fibers into their lungs.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discourages asbestos shingle removal when the shingles are in good condition because then there is no real health threat. It is the work that is involved in removing asbestos shingles that poses the greatest dangers for toxic exposure.

Federal asbestos laws enforced by the EPA require the participation of an asbestos removal company during such projects. Licensed contractors, many of whom can be located on the Internet, are trained to identify asbestos and to follow EPA safety guidelines for asbestos shingle removal projects.

Legal option

If you worked professionally with asbestos shingles and other asbestos-containing building products and you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis, you may be eligible to receive significant financial compensation. For a free review of your case, please use the communication form on this page and a representative from our firm will respond shortly.